


Vouchsafe

by ScarlettSiren



Series: Blood and Won [2]
Category: K-pop, Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Mob, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bodyguard Wonho, Fluff and Smut, Living Meme Hyungwon, M/M, Mafia Heir Hyungwon, Mild Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Model Chae Hyungwon, Rimming, Sass Master Wonho, bottom!hyungwon, top!wonho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-11 00:00:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12310620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettSiren/pseuds/ScarlettSiren
Summary: Wonho has been working for the Chae Family Syndicate from the time he was young. Following the death of Boss Chae’s nephew, he is reassigned to guard Hyungwon, the boss’s son. A notorious brat, Wonho isn't necessarily looking forward to the assignment. But loyalty to the family is loyalty to him, and so he will guard the man with his life.Things are rarely so simple.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fic is now [available in Russian](https://ficbook.net/readfic/6149339) thanks to icemadness!
> 
>  
> 
> Kyu-Hwan, Hyungwon’s cousin, is an original character, and Hyungwon’s father is just kind of a figurehead… I really didn’t want to involve the idols’ families in any extended detail in this fic so I just made some characters up.
> 
> Wonho is 27 in this fic, Hyungwon is 26; they maintain their age difference, they’re merely aged up in the fic.
> 
> Geondal = Korean Mafiosos  
> Also, those who read my Wontaek fanfic, ‘The Secrets We Keep’, may notice a bit of overlap. These fics take place in the same universe.
> 
> WARNINGS: Mentions of drugs/alcohol (not used by our main characters), mention of deaths, use of firearms, violence.

_"You’re mine, I have the duty to protect you._  
_I’ll protect you, so no one can ever take you easily"_ \- Monsta X, Hero

The Chae Family had built an underground international trade empire under the guise of a high-end corporate “travel agency”, and naturally, being in such a turbulent market meant they had made a lot of enemies. They were the most notorious geondal family in South Korea and had the ear of anyone with power and the respect of everyone with sense. Thanks to his parents’ international connections and his own gorgeous looks, Hyungwon, the only son of Boss Chae and so-called “prince” of the family, had made a name for himself as a model all across Southeast Asia… and while he seemed to enjoy a party lifestyle, he was not one to partake in the more unsavory activities his cousin favored. He had a reputation to uphold, after all.

Wonho had been in the service of the Chae Family since birth… his father had joined their ranks as a young man, and Wonho was inducted as soon as he was old enough to be of even minor use. He spent many a summer of his childhood in the sprawling mansions and high-class penthouses of the Chae Family. His father died in service of the Chaes… and while his exact job description was kept from a younger Wonho, years later he was certain he was something of a runner, or a debt collector. Neither job had a long life expectancy in the business.

Once he came of age, Wonho completed his military service and returned to the Chae Family to begin training to become a member of their elite security force. He excelled and quickly caught the eye of Boss Chae himself… however, he found himself assigned to protect not Boss Chae (an honor which had gone to his senior, Shownu), the boss’s brother, or even the Chae heir... instead he was assigned to Kyu-Hwan, the boss’s nephew. 

Kyu-Hwan was an irresponsible, pig-headed young man. Wonho spent most nights in high-end nightclubs and the early morning hours hauling his drunk—and often high—charge back to his downtown loft apartment. He was a thrill-seeker in all ways; drugs, alcohol and adrenaline. Trips on his father’s yacht often became irresponsible jetskiing excursions in the dead of night, hunting for sharks or something equally ridiculous. He didn’t get it from his father… who was as respectable a businessman as he could be, trying desperately to prove that he was just as capable of running the company as his brother.

Boss Chae’s brother’s life had been cut short only weeks ago, explained as an accident involving his private plane in the Alps during an autumn vacation at his private lodge. Kyu-Hwan had not been there… but soon spiraled into a deep depression and became even more self-destructive. Weeks after, he died in a horrendous car crash, his body so burned and having sustained such injuries that they could only identify him by his jewelry. Wonho expected he would feel some guilt over losing his charge, but he couldn’t exactly hold himself responsible when the man essentially killed himself. Not even a day after the funeral, he was called in and advised he would be reassigned to Hyungwon, Boss Chae’s only son and heir.

***

“Hyungwon is… a lot to handle.” Jooheon warned the moment he heard the news… which was that very day as he drove Wonho to the company’s high-rise. He was Boss Chae’s main driver and the company gossip. He knew everything about everyone who was anyone at Chae Enterprises.

“His cousin used to do lines off naked strippers in club VIP rooms behind the boss’s back, so, I'm not sure how much more to handle he could possibly be.” Wonho replied in an unconcerned tone.

“He's an escape artist. He’ll try to slip you every chance he gets. You have to watch him like a hawk. Hates having eyes on him, which is ironic since he’s a model.” Jooheon clarified.

“I once had to fish the boss’s nephew out of the sea when he flipped his jet ski while drunk out of his mind. You ever hang off the side of a yacht and drag a near-unconscious, soaked-to-the-bone kid back on board without getting your suit wet?” Wonho huffed, an indignant, cocksure sound. “I can handle whatever this bratty prince has in store. Besides, Kihyun managed all this time.”

Jooheon shrugged, his expression dubious. He wasn't sure Wonho knew exactly what he was getting into, but he was arguably their best unretired guard save Shownu, and therefore no one else was better suited for the job.

“Kihyun was thrilled to be transferred to general security, last I heard.” Jooheon muttered.

“Personal security isn’t for everyone. You’re a lot less likely to have to take a bullet if you’re watching security cameras and checking in guests.” Wonho reminded him.

“Maybe so, but they’ve got some new blood shadowing him; this kid named Changkyun. He seemed happier at the prospect of training some new kid versus watching after the boss’s.” Jooheon chuckled.

“To each their own, I guess. Is Minhyuk still the prince’s main driver?” Wonho asked, watching out the window as they approached the Chae Enterprises building.

“He is… complains to me about it daily, too. He’s going to meet up with you here after your meeting. I keep telling you, this kid is a handful. Maybe he’ll tell you all about it.” Jooheon replied as he put the car in park and turned to his friend. “Just… don’t go thinking this is going to be cake after guarding the family fuck-up for years. Hyungwon-ssi may not be his cousin, but he’s no walk in the park.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Wonho assured as he climbed out of the car and closed the door behind him. He spoke through the open window. “Thanks for looking out. See you around.”

“If you live that long.” Jooheon teased, giving him a two-finger salute as he took off.

***

Wonho didn’t come to the Chae Enterprises building very much… at least he hadn’t in the past several years when he was in charge of Kyu-Hwan’s security. The boss’s nephew largely kept the company at arm’s length, despite that his father had tried desperately to promote the opposite.

It had been even longer since he had seen Hyungwon, and he doubted the younger man would recognize him. He’d played with him, maybe a few times, when they were both young boys, seeing as he grew up being taken care of by the Chae family… but Wonho, of course, was much smaller, then. He hadn’t quite grown into his ears yet, and he went by his birthname Hoseok. Wonho was a nickname his security team had given him a few years ago, and it had stuck.

He checked in with the front desk and the attractive secretary smiled at him and stood to bring him into the office. Chae Enterprises did have a habit for hiring pretty people, Wonho was beginning to notice. Even the assistants and interns were beautiful. He wondered if the janitors were even old and gray, or if they, too looked like models.

“You still haven’t told me why I’m here.” An unfamiliar voice said just as Wonho was let into Boss Chae’s office. He noticed Shownu, one of his good friends in security and their boss’s personal bodyguard, and nodded to him with a smile. He received a grin in return.

“Ah, this is why! I’ve sent for your new bodyguard.” Boss Chae explained, motioning to him. “Wonho is one of my most trusted.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Wonho said with a respectful bow toward the younger Chae. Rumors of his handsomeness hadn’t done him justice. He could see why the man was a model. He hadn’t grown into those lips of his which he remembered so vividly from their youth… they just seemed to grow with him, a prominent and lovely feature on his equally perfect face.

The younger Chae gave him a wry look, grimacing before turning to his father. “What was wrong with Kihyun?”

“Nothing, son. But Kihyun seemed eager to assist our new security recruits, and Wonho is no longer needed at his previous position.” Boss Chae cleared his throat, as if he didn’t really want to mention it was because Wonho’s former charge was dead.

The same young woman who had let Wonho in reentered the room and approached the boss, whispering something to him in hushed tones. The man nodded and she scurried off.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have some urgent business to attend to. But you two should get acquainted. I’ll see you for dinner tonight, son.” Boss Chae said. His son bowed to him, and he in return, before the older man took his leave, Shownu slipping out with him.

There was silence after the door closed behind him, the only two men remaining in the room stared at each other for a long moment without saying anything. Finally, Hyungwon broke it.

“So, you're the New Blood, hm?”

He looked the man over from head to toe, entirely unsubtle about it as he circled around him like some cat hunting its prey. He huffed the barest of laughs under his breath when he reached the top of his head with his eyes… Wonho deduced he was amused by the fact that he was an inch or so taller than him. His eyes trailed back down to his shoulders and he raised an eyebrow. Shorter, but muscular. He seemed to approve of that portion of his physique, at least.

Wonho didn’t react under the scrutiny. “Your new bodyguard. Not exactly new blood. I’ve worked for your family since I was old enough to do so. I was assigned to your cousin for years.”

“Ah, yes. The dead one.” It flatly wasn't a question. Hyungwon’s eyes held a sort of challenge.

“Sadly even I can't stop auto accidents.” Wonho replied in a dry tone. “But if whatever’s trying to kill you has a pulse, I'll stop them.”

Hyungwon snorted. “So dramatic. No one’s idiotic enough to come after a Chae. You're a glorified babysitter.”

Wonho’s blank expression didn't change. “The world is full of idiots, sir. I'm just here to make sure one of them doesn't shoot you.”

Hyungwon let out a bark of a laugh at that. “Hm, maybe you'll be some fun after all.”

***

Wonho made several mistakes on his first day guarding his new charge. The first was not taking Jooheon’s warnings seriously. The second was agreeing to the young man’s request for Starbucks, which seemed harmless enough in the beginning and later proved to be nothing but a ruse. And the third was trusting Minhyuk could handle Hyungwon by himself for a whopping six minutes.

Wonho emerged from the Starbucks with an iced chai only to find Minhyuk sitting on the sidewalk outside, the car decidedly missing.

“I can explain.” The chauffeur started as he climbed to his feet, but Wonho just shook his head, walking toward a delivery driver who was dismounting his motorcycle nearby. 

“Sir, my apologies but I need your bike.” Wonho said, pulling back his lapel to reveal his firearm and the Chae Family crest which was emblazoned like a badge within the lining of his jacket. The motorist put his hands up and backed away. Everyone in this city knew the Chae Family, and their influence. Wonho spotted a tumbler wedged into a cup-holder between the handlebars and pulled it out, handing it to the man. He slid the latte into its place and tossed his head to Minhyuk. “He'll see to it you receive suitable compensation.”

Minhyuk pulled out his cellphone and by the time he had, Wonho had revved the engine and taken off down the road.

Weaving through traffic with expert control, Wonho’s eyes scanned the side streets and all possibilities before him to determine where Hyungwon had decided to take this joy ride of his. While the boy was mischievous, he didn't seem to be reckless like his late cousin.

After a short while, Wonho caught a glimpse of the Chae crest emblazoned upon a black bumper and cut a hard left to follow it. He was able to close the distance nominally, but a rather zealous motorist cut him off. He veered onto the sidewalk, weaving between the pedestrians and other obstacles with ease. Passers-by leapt out of the way as he zipped past, but it appeared none had been injured, only minorly spooked.

Wonho swerved back into the road and revved the bike, nothing between him and the car now. But only for a short while. It made another hard turn and a delivery truck darted out into the road at the opportunity, causing the bodyguard to ride back up onto the sidewalk. He cut a sharp left using the crosswalk sign as leverage and sped up again to make up the distance he'd lost.

The road ahead was clear as they approached what would be a dead end under the overpass if Hyungwon didn't make another turn soon. Now was his best shot. Wonho ramped over a stoop and used the momentum to get ahead of the car, cutting in front of it and skidding to a stop. The car braked quickly as not to mow him over. After a long moment of the bodyguard standing his ground and staring into the tinted windshield, the door opened.

“All right, you caught me, you caught me!” Hyungwon admitted in kind of carefree tone with a laugh that made Wonho want to strangle him. He threw his arms up in mock surrender as he stepped out of the car and walked up to him.

Wonho held his composure with the kind of skill that could only be expected of a man whose job description included killing people upon request with no remorse, dismounted the bike, and handed Hyungwon his drink.

“Your latte, sir.” Wonho said in the most deadpan tone he could muster.

Hyungwon stared at him for several seconds before retrieving said drink, taking a long sip from the straw. He nodded, tossing his head toward the car. “Okay. Well. Good job. Home?”

Wonho gave a sardonic smile that didn’t reach his eyes, following the younger man to the car. He was reasonably certain that Hyungwon had earned at least a modicum of respect for him in that moment, though he couldn’t say how far that would get him.

They swung by the Starbucks to pick up Minhyuk on the way, and none of them breathed a word of it to Boss Chae.

***

The following weeks were blessedly less eventful. Hyungwon seemed to demonstrate some respect for Wonho… or perhaps his busy schedule just kept him from pulling too many fast-ones on his bodyguard. They spent much of the week flying from place to place for on-location shoots and magazine interviews. Hyungwon was beautiful and friendly and above all, professional. He seemed to charm every photographer, interviewer and intern he met. He signed autographs even for the assistants who timidly brought him his coffee, and made time for the fans who congregated around him, somehow always figuring out where he was shooting and when (Wonho suspected Instagram was to blame). Thankfully they were mostly respectful, and Wonho seemed to intimidate them, because they tended to remain at a reasonable distance when he was at the man’s side.

Wonho spent day after day in studios and on beaches, thankful for the sunglasses shading his eyes from the constant flash of the cameras and blinding sun. Hyungwon spent most of their flights reading, but occasionally challenged him to a round of chess if his eyes were unable to focus on the words but his mind was too wired to sleep. He was skilled, and Wonho wasn’t particularly good at the game, but Hyungwon gave him a few lessons and in time he was giving him a much better challenge.

Hyungwon was respectful of his father’s wishes that he take over the company someday when he was no longer fit to run it… he attended meetings of high importance at his father’s request, and was actually quite knowledgeable about the company and its inner workings. Boss Chae requested his son attend the monthly report meeting, and so Wonho found himself standing in a conference room with Shownu and a few other guards he didn’t recognize, with the heads of several other influential families sat around the long, elegant polished mahogany table at the center of the room. Boss Chae was at the head, Hyungwon at his immediate right, and it truly spoke to just how powerful the Chae Family was in this city.

Wonho wouldn’t say that he missed the thumping bass and smoky din of nightclubs, the sting of alcohol on his charge’s breath or the half-naked women practically throwing themselves at him just to get a chance at a Chae bachelor… but after an hour of these old men droning on about expenses and trade deals, he almost began to regret his new position. He glanced over at Shownu, who had an utterly blank, almost confused or lost expression… he’d clearly mastered the art of sleeping while standing with his eyes open. He suddenly found himself pitying the man for actually having the position he had once vied for.

“It seems to be rarely discussed, but the travel expenses for young Hyungwon here are quite high.” One of the men… his surname might have been Lim or Kim… Wonho wasn’t paying enough attention to say for sure, spoke up in an almost guarded tone.

Boss Chae pushed his glasses up and leafed through the papers in front of him. “Ah, you’re speaking about this report… these were actually Kyu-Hwan’s expenses. I’ve taken the liberty of having my assistant compile them in one place, as I’d like to keep track of the change in costs after his… untimely passing.”

The men gave solemn hums, nodding.

“You’ll find that Hyungwon handles his own expenses with his own income. Save his security and living costs, Chae Enterprises pays for little of my son’s endeavors. He’s quite self-sufficient.” Boss Chae added, giving his son a look that may have been proud.

“I see...” Lim or Kim.... Wonho was quite sure now it was Kim, continued. “It does bring up the question of succession, however… given that young Hyungwon does indeed pursue his own ventures, that his stake may not be in the company.”

Boss Chae narrowed his eyes. “If you have a comment, say it plainly.” 

The man cleared his throat. “I would simply suggest that, given his current interests, Hyungwon may not be the most qualified to take over Chae Enterprises in your stead, sir.”

“That’s a rather brazen insult coming from a man who must ask his twelve-year-old how to work the company iPads.” Hyungwon quipped, then took a sip of his Starbucks, glancing out the far windows and clearly trying to resist rolling his eyes.

Wonho couldn't suppress a laugh, though he managed to cover it up with a soft cough and put a hand over his mouth to mitigate suspicion. Shownu was onto him, though, his shoulders just barely shaking and lips pressed too-tightly together, though he managed not to laugh out loud himself.

Usually this kind of disrespect toward an elder may have angered a father, but Boss Chae seemed almost amused that his son refused to be disrespected, even by someone who was his senior. He cleared his throat, grinning.

“Hyungwon will become more involved in the company’s inner dealings in the years to come… but for now, he will continue to pursue his own interests. I’m still plenty capable of handling the company myself; I’m not quite as elderly as you old dogs.” The jovial chuckle Boss Chae gave set off a chorus of laughter from the other men, and with that the tension in the room had virtually disappeared.

***

After a long two weeks of constant shoots, meetings and interviews, Hyungwon was finally blessed with a day off. His father was out of the country on business and he wasn’t booked for any shoots as the other ones were still going to print. Wonho was sure Hyungwon had slept for at least fourteen hours… he hadn’t seen him emerge from his room in far too long. He actually became worried and went in to go check on him, only to find him sprawled under his massive duvet wearing an eye mask to block out the afternoon sun. He was breathing, so Wonho was just going to see himself out, but it seemed his presence actually stirred the younger man, as he sat up and removed his mask, his hair wild with bedhead.

“Hn… Wonhonnie, what time is it?” He asked grumpily, rubbing his eyes. He somehow managed to simultaneously look murderous and yet completely adorable.

“Um… it’s four pm, sir.” Wonho answered, standing ready by the door. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just checking in.”

“Mm, probably thought I’d died. I tend to get all my beauty sleep at once. I coulda gone for a solid sixteen if you’d let me.” He replied, giving a sigh before yawning and stretching quite enthusiastically. “Well since you've already disturbed me, how about some breakfast?”

One phone call and twenty minutes later, Wonho had a small breakfast spread brought up by the kitchen staff on a silver tea cart. Hyungwon leafed through a pile of magazines that had been brought up for him as well as he picked at his fresh fruit… first prints of the publications he would be featured in. Wonho denied the food that was offered him, instead doing his duty and standing nearby, watching his charge. Hyungwon was a little more awake now, though still wearing his pajamas (white and covered in cartoon frogs). 

“Charming Chae Prince Still Korea’s Number One Bachelor… why do they keep printing these ridiculous articles?” Hyungwon huffed, taking a bite of a croissant. “I understand that modeling can be seen as a shallow career, but I haven’t read an article about anything other than my looks or my being single in months. Where is the substance?”

“I would say ‘reserved for your father’, but they’ve published the same rabble about him, ever since Madame Chae passed.” Wonho replied.

“You’re right. The press are leeches. I mean, listen to this… ‘some of his best features include his long legs that seem to go for miles, and his signature beautiful plush lips, which look positively kissable!’ Ugh!” Hyungwon frowned. He sighed, leaning on his hand and looking over at his bodyguard. “Wonhonnie, say something nice about me… other than ‘I’m pretty’.”

Wonho gave a wry smile, though there was an undercurrent of fondness that was hard to miss. “Your wit is admirable and a brilliant mind is hidden behind that handsome face… sir.”

Hyungwon beamed, giggling. “Oh, you do know how to flatter me. This is why I keep you around.”

“That and I’m an effective meat-shield.” The bodyguard replied, deadpan.

Hyungwon let out another peal of laughter, and Wonho realized he was becoming incredibly fond of that sound. “Hm, so you say. Hopefully we will never need to test that.”

“From your ‘beautiful, plush and kissable lips’ to the gods’ ears.” Wonho teased, smirking.

Hyungwon huffed and threw the magazine at him, but soon after they were laughing about it together.


	2. Chapter 2

Wonho was becoming used to the change of pace in his duties. Long periods of non-stop shoots, interviews and business meetings punctuated by short breaks spent cramming in as much relaxation as possible… he was not at all missing the all-nighters, the binge drinking and drug abuse his former charge favored. Hyungwon had long given up on trying to slip him. It was almost as though the younger man didn’t resent his company… in fact, he may have even enjoyed it.

Usually Hyungwon spent his rest days sleeping (Wonho was discovering he was a big fan of his own bed, and sleeping was a favorite pastime of his), but when he was given a whole week off, he decided to take a short trip to Gadeokdo to visit Oedo Paradise Island, which he’d fallen in love with years back after a shoot. He was so delighted for the mini-vacation that he posted a selca of himself in the back of the limo with the hashtags “roadtrip” and “OedoBound”. Wonho was sitting so close in the backseat that his shoulder ended up in the photo. Generally, a bodyguard would travel in the front seat by the driver, but Hyungwon knew he would go stir-crazy on a long trip with no one to talk to, so he had Wonho join him in the back.

Minhyuk drove with the divider up only so he could blast his music without disturbing his passengers, who spent the hours chatting and even playing games on Hyungwon’s tablet. Before they knew it, they were in Gadeokdo, and Wonho handled getting them checked in so Hyungwon could head up to the room as quickly as he was able. He didn’t spend much time there, however, wanting to head to the gardens as soon as possible. 

“It’s such a gorgeous day.” Hyungwon said in a voice almost like a moan, closing his eyes and grinning against the sunlight. When he opened them again, he looked to Wonho and pushed his cellphone into the bodyguard’s hands. “You should get some shots of me for my Insta and then no more tech for the rest of the trip.”

“Yessir.” Wonho replied with an amused smirk. He snapped a few shots for him, encouraging him to look unassuming for a few because people seemed to adore his candid shots. When he finally handed the phone back, Hyungwon made a show of turning it off and pocketing it once he’d made his post.

“There. Now no more of that. Just… nature, and relaxing.” He gave a determined nod. Wonho couldn’t help but smile and roll his eyes. Hyungwon pressed his lips together. “Maybe some caffeine first. I’m going to go insane without it, nature or not.”

“Of course.” Wonho intoned with a serious nod, and with that, they headed toward the resort area to get the younger man his coffee fix.

Thirty minutes later, they were strolling out of the cafe, Hyungwon sucking down a delicious, overly-sweet concoction with a contented expression. They hadn’t made it ten feet out of the place when a voice reached them.

“Chae Hyungwon! I knew… I knew I would run into you here!”

Wonho regarded the shouting woman with narrowed eyes, stepping forward a bit to act as a buffer between them. She didn’t even spare him a glance, however, though she kept her distance for the moment.

“Keeping up with my Instagram, hm? Can I sign something for you?” The model asked cordially, only because he was so utterly used to this kind of thing from fans.

“No, I don’t want your signature… I have several already. What I’d really love is to go out to dinner with you so we could really get to know each other.” She said, her tone too-serious.

Hyungwon let out an amused laugh. “Oh, but I could only wish… if I did that for one fan I’d have to do it for all of them or else I’d be in a lot of trouble.”

The woman’s face fell. “Well… but… what we have is special, so they’ll understand. And if they don’t, it’s just because they’re jealous... of our love!”

Hyungwon’s expression went from amused to immediately uncomfortable. He glanced at Wonho and the bodyguard took that as all the permission he needed, moving entirely in front of his charge, now.

“Miss, I’m going to need to ask you to leave.” His voice was stern and commanding, harsher than Hyungwon had ever heard it.

The woman sputtered, glowering up at him. “Who do you think you are? No bodyguard is going to stand between me and my destiny! Chae Hyungwon is my true love! And I am his! Now get out of my way!”

She actually had the audacity to shove past him, diving for Hyungwon as if to tackle him in an ardent hug. Wonho reacted quickly, however, and placed a hand on her shoulder, grabbing her wrist with the other and wrenching it at such an angle that she cried out in agony. Regardless, she thrashed and screeched, trying to get out of his hold.

“Hyungwon, please! Make him stop! Tell him we love each other!” She cried, but the model just ducked behind Wonho as the bodyguard turned them both to ensure he was between them again. A nearby security officer seemed to have noticed the scuffle and jogged over to assist. Wonho took the opportunity to call Minhyuk to get them out of there.

The girl was taken into custody, but Hyungwon was clearly quite shaken up by it. Wonho draped an arm over his shoulder to shield the younger man from the flash of cell phone cameras coming from the small crowd which had now gathered at the commotion and tried to keep him from view as they loaded into the back of the limo with Minhyuk at the wheel.

Once the car door had shut, Hyungwon let himself hyperventilate a little, hanging his head in his hands. Wonho rubbed gently between the younger man’s shoulder blades, willing his breathing to calm.

“Are you all right?” Wonho eventually asked, though he likely knew the answer.

“No, but… yes, I will be. I just… my fans… they’re never like that. I’m just a model. I don’t sing or dance or act… there’s not much to become obsessed with. I’m just a photo on a page, or a small clip on Instagram. I don’t understand why...”

“She was clearly suffering from a troubling delusion, and I’m sure she’ll get the help she needs.” Wonho replied, although he wasn’t so sure.

“They just… they’ve never… come at me like that before.” Hyungwon took another deep breath, then chugged the rest of his drink. “Thank you, though, for… defusing it. Or, at least keeping her off me.”

Wonho’s eyebrows furrowed. “You’re thanking me… for doing my job…?”

Hyungwon huffed. “Yes. For doing it well! I’m not so sure Kihyun would have handled it so efficiently. He never really had to deal with physical altercations.”

Wonho shrugged. “We all have similar training. I’m sure Kihyun would have managed to keep you from harm. Though he does have a soft spot for pretty ladies.”

Hyungwon raised an eyebrow at him, a bit of that Chae charm coming back to his expression. “And you’re saying you _don’t_ have a soft spot for pretty ladies?”

Wonho rolled his eyes. “Protecting you is far more important than whether I find a man or lady attractive. There’s no need to read more into that.”

Hyungwon gave a genuine laugh. It was admittedly a relief to hear the familiar sound. “I was enjoying reading into it. It was keeping me distracted from the fact that I just got pounced on by a woman who’s apparently been stalking me.”

“Now that part does cause me concern. I’ll have some of our investigators check your Instagram for any concerning comments. Maybe she left something on there that might explain what led to this.” Wonho said. “And maybe… wait until you’ve left somewhere to post photos of it. Just to be safe.”

Hyungwon nodded. “Reasonable. It was probably idiotic of me to do it in real time anyway. Guess I was taking you and my father’s influence for granted.”

“I’m sure you simply didn’t believe it caused any harm. Don’t dwell on it.” Wonho told him.

Hyungwon nodded. When they arrived back at the resort, the bodyguard did his best to keep prying eyes away once more so that the younger man could get up to his hotel room in peace. Once they’d made it, Hyungwon flopped down on the lounge chair on the massive balcony overlooking the water and stayed there until the sun went down, determined to enjoy the vacation that had already been ruined.

He hadn’t indicated he was hungry, but Wonho had dinner brought up anyway. Hyungwon gave him a hollow thank-you and ate about four bites before giving up and announcing he was going to bed.

“Just call if you have need of me. I’m in the next room over.” Wonho told him, as if he needed reminding. Hyungwon just nodded and waved him off. He was clearly still shaken over the incident, or at least incredibly irritated.

Wonho was a light sleeper. It was part of his training to be able to awaken at the slightest disturbance, in case a client needed him. So despite the late hour and the fact that he was dead asleep, he awoke instantly when he heard Hyungwon make a worrying noise in the next room. He bolted up and let himself into the adjoined room, still in his sleep pants and a white sweater. He gave a cursory glance around to ensure there wasn’t actually any danger, and found Hyungwon in the living area of the suite, bundled up on the couch and looking miserable.

“You look different when you’re not in a suit.” Hyungwon said. “Almost like a normal human.”

“You sounded distressed. Are you all right, sir?” Wonho asked, ignoring the comment.

“No, I’m not.” Hyungwon sighed. “Wonhonnie, would you… sit with me?”

He wasn’t sure exactly when he’d started using that nickname, but it was a rare thing which Wonho was actually irritated with himself for being fond of. He nodded and joined him on the couch. The younger man instantly just leaned over against his side, his whole body plastered against that broad shoulder and strong arm.

“Bad dream?” The bodyguard asked quietly, regarding him with concern.

Hyungwon made an agonized sort of sound. “Yeah. It’s probably stupid and overly-dramatic but I just can’t stop… replaying that moment. She was so crazed… makes me wonder how many people out there are like that.”

Wonho’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not stupid. Being shaken over something like that is completely normal. But that’s what I’m here to do… to put you at ease. We’ll take precautions to prevent these things in the future, and I’ll still be here to make sure no one hurts you.”

Hyungwon sighed, but smiled. “Thanks. I know it’s your job, but. This isn’t. You don’t have to comfort me. I’m… I’m the Chae Syndicate heir, and I know I should probably be a little more hardened than this. But, father’s done a good job of keeping me shielded from all the gritty parts of his work, so… I’m not really used to it.”

“There’s no getting used to being assailed by a stalker, Hyungwon-ssi.” Wonho admonished, shaking his head. “Don’t think so ill of yourself.”

Hyungwon huffed a laugh. “Fine. Maybe I’m being hard on myself. It’s hard not to hold myself to high standards when I see the weight my family name carries.”

“You make your father proud.” Wonho told him softly. “He won’t think any less of you over this, and neither do I.”

That caused the younger man to smile. “Thanks, Wonhonnie. It does actually mean a lot to me.”

“Good. Now, you really should try sleeping. You’re already a terror in the morning when you’ve gotten a solid eight hours.” Wonho teased.

Hyungwon hit him hard in the bicep but it didn’t seem to have any effect, and they both laughed. “I’m not tired anymore. I’ll just put something on until I get tired again.”

Wonho knew that was probably a bad idea, but he wasn’t going to do anything other than oblige. Sure enough. Hyungwon put on a documentary and was soon snoozing against his shoulder, dead asleep. The bodyguard just sighed and got as comfortable as possible in his post for the night.

***

The next day, once news of the incident had reached Boss Chae, he was eager to meet with Wonho to discuss his concerns. The bodyguard was certain he was going to be raked across the coals for being unable to keep the situation from getting so out of hand with the media, but he was prepared for it. He’d been berated plenty of times for Kyu-Hwan’s escapades. He’d gladly take a slap on the wrist for doing his job, just not well enough in the eyes of a man who saw only flaws in those around him. Their first stop when getting back into town was at the Chae Enterprises building. Hyungwon whined about being hungry, but waited patiently outside the office. When Wonho slipped inside, Shownu acknowledged him and left the room to go keep an eye on the heir.

“Thank you for seeing me, Wonho.” Boss Chae said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. The bodyguard sat. “I’ve already spoken with Minhyuk and my son about the incident that occurred in Gadeokdo, so I can’t say I need your account. But I’d like to prevent these things in the future.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve advised your son to postpone location-specific social media content until we’ve left the area in question, and I’ve tasked our investigators with looking into any suspicious comments or messages on his accounts.” Wonho confirmed.

Boss Chae nodded. “All reasonable. My number one priority has always been and will remain the strength of the Chae empire. And that includes my son’s wellbeing.”

“I understand your concerns given your recent losses. Your brother, and your nephew… lost so close together. Some might see it as a vulnerability.” Wonho said.

“Though they are lost to us, the Chae empire is not in any way vulnerable because of it. Like a rotting limb, though their branch has been severed from the family line, but the tree is stronger for it.” Boss Chae intoned sagely.

“You almost sound relieved.” Wonho commented, though there was no accusation in his words.

Boss Chae sighed. “Family is… an inevitable attachment in such a business. While their loss is a blow to our personal morale, there is no denying their actions were tarnishing the Chae name and that the business will fare better without them.”

Wonho’s eyes narrowed nearly imperceptibly, suspicion now cloying at the edge of his thoughts, though accusation stayed safely tucked away behind his survival instincts and a fortress of loyalty. His silence seemed to speak volumes, for Boss Chae shifted forward in his chair, peering at the bodyguard critically from behind his spectacles.

“Tell me something, son. You worked under my brother, and my nephew, for many years. You must have witnessed a great many things. And I have confidence that you know well enough to see everything, yet never speak a word of it-” His expression became grave, brow furrowed. “...to anyone _outside_ the family. If you ever had any inkling of my brother working against me, I expect that you would have-”

“With respect, sir.” Wonho interrupted uncharacteristically. “Your brother was a jealous man… your nephew often arrogant, and envious of your own son. But I never saw or heard anything to indicate they may act upon these feelings. Above all others, you are my boss. You can count on the fact that I would have told you.”

Boss Chae nodded, sitting back in his chair and seemingly satisfied. He laced his hands together and laid them on his chest. “You'll… keep a close eye on my son, then? You'll protect him?”

“With my life, sir.” Wonho assured, standing and giving a small bow to vouchsafe the statement.

The meeting left Wonho feeling uneasy… no nominal feat. It was clear to him that Boss Chae was hiding something. He'd known the man to be level-headed, but never cruel. His lack of empathy regarding the death of his brother and nephew was admittedly suspicious. He didn’t have time to dwell upon this, however, because his charge was standing just outside the room waiting for him when he emerged. Shownu nodded to Wonho and slipped back into his boss’s office, now relieved from protecting the heir in his absence.

“Poor Wonhonnie… Daddy call you into his office to scold you?” Hyungwon teased, pursing those plump lips of his mockingly.

“No, sir. We were merely discussing the security protocols surrounding your protection. He is concerned for your safety since the incident.” Wonho only half-lied, but it sounded like a whole truth regardless.

Hyungwon huffed. “Too bad. I bet you'd look cute with a dejected expression on that handsome face. Maybe I’d even comfort you.”

Wonho rolled his eyes. “I can see why they call you the ‘Charming’ Chae Prince.”

The younger man winked at him, clicking his tongue. “See, there it is. Something other than cold indifference. Such a rare sight.”

Wonho stared at him for a moment, his expression earnest. “You should not mistake my seriousness for indifference. I care a great deal about your well-being. And not simply because it is my job.”

Hyungwon snorted, and he was the one rolling his eyes now. “Job, some ingrained sense of loyalty… it's all the same thing. You care because you feel obligated to. It is your burden.”

“It is no burden to care for you.” Wonho said, too quickly. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to articulate what he truly meant. After a short moment, he managed to add, “You may try to be a nuisance to entertain yourself, but… you are pleasant company regardless of your attempts to prove the opposite.”

Hyungwon just stared at him for a long moment, unable to formulate a response. Finally, his bodyguard let out a soft laugh, pulling him from his stupor.

“Now if I recall, you mentioned earlier something about lunch.”

“Yes!” Hyungwon piped up, suddenly smiling. “Let's go to the noodle station. I'm dying for some pho.”

“Yes, sir.” Wonho responded bemusedly, following him out.


	3. Chapter 3

Later in the week, Hyungwon received an invitation to meet with a new modeling firm on the other side of town. They seemed eager to work with him, and wanted to set something up as soon as possible. Since he’d already enjoyed a small reprieve from work, Hyungwon readily agreed.

Part of Wonho’s job as Hyungwon’s bodyguard was to be aware of a everywhere the heir was going. He had their tech guys pull blueprints, or at least building layouts, as well as basic information on any location he wasn't already familiar with. This was a modeling agency that the man hadn't worked with before, so he had their techs send over the information and perused it the evening before.

The business was legitimate, everything seemingly standard. But something struck him as a little odd. They had called late on Saturday and asked for a meeting the next day, Sunday. Their offices were listed as being closed on the weekends. It wasn't especially unusual for a company to open their doors exclusively for Hyungwon; many understood his need for privacy or simply wanted to maximize his comfort in the hopes of impressing someone from such an influential geondal family. So while the choice of day gave him pause, it was not an immediate red flag. The fact that it was so quickly thrown together, however… had him assessing the situation critically. He'd asked Hyungwon for the details and he claimed they'd said he would be filling in for an unnamed Chinese actor who had to drop out of a project incredibly last minute. 

Wonho decided he was likely being paranoid, and resolved to let it go.

The next morning, when Minhyuk pulled up with them in front of the building, that gut feeling of his didn't go away.

The building seemed eerily quiet despite that there were several sleek black SUVs in the parking lot. When they entered, there was a single person at the security desk who welcomed them in a stiff sort of tone and asked them to sign in, letting them know to head up to the fifth floor. Hyungwon scrawled his name too-casually before walking toward the elevators, still sipping at the Starbucks coffee they'd grabbed on the way there. Wonho’s eyes tracked over the man behind the desk as he signed in. A few things were off about his badge, but nothing caught his eye quite like the uniform. There was a certain stiffness to the fabric of the collar that stood out to him. He couldn't always explain his observational skills to others, but he knew something was unequivocally _wrong_.

He glanced over to Hyungwon, who was already across the room pressing the elevator button. Wonho mentally cursed. This was about to go sideways and his charge had no idea.

“Fifth floor.” The man reminded gruffly.

“Thank you.” Wonho replied with a stiff but cordial smile. He closed the distance between himself and Hyungwon as quickly as possible without arousing suspicion, his hand sliding into his jacket as casually as he was able.

Several things happened at once: the “security guard”, whose eyes hadn't left him, seemed to notice something was off. The elevator doors opened. Both men drew their guns.

Wonho dove, shielding Hyungwon and forcing him into the elevator just as the shots rang out. Wonho returned fire, hitting the man in the shoulder before the elevator doors closed. He counted the bullets lodged in the back of the elevator car… exactly the number the man had fired. None had hit his charge. There was no blood… just the coffee splattered all over the floor where Hyungwon had dropped it.

He glanced down at the man he had pressed between himself and the elevator wall, his hand cradling the back of the younger’s head so he didn't bang it against anything. He didn't look any worse for wear but he was breathing hard, eyes as wide as dinner plates.

“What the fuck was that?!” Hyungwon yelped, looking at Wonho with a sort of fear-stricken panic he'd never seen before.

“This entire meeting… was a trap.” Wonho growled, glancing at the numbers ticking up above them. He slammed the button for the fourth floor just as they hit the third. If these people wanted them on the fifth, they wouldn't oblige them.

“A… trap? What? The business is real, I've heard of this agency before!” Hyungwon reasoned.

“Yes, but the building is closed on weekends. That guy downstairs was a mercenary, clearly. They went through a lot of trouble to use this place when they knew the business owners wouldn't be here. Someone is paying them a lot of money.” Wonho said, making sure Hyungwon was behind him when the elevator stopped. The doors opened and he peeked out, seeing no one. He motioned for Hyungwon to follow him, and ducked into the nearest office, locking the door behind them.

Gunshots rang out overhead, muffled… clearly from outside. He headed to the window in time to see Minhyuk have to peel away in the car as he began taking fire from the roof. A few seconds later, his cell phone rang.

“Wonho what the fuck is going on in there?” Minhyuk shouted into the receiver.

“We have a situation, circle the next block over until I contact you again. I’m going to call in some backup.” Wonho said.

“O-okay. Keep me posted.” Minhyuk cursed before hanging up, clearly shaken.

Wonho hit the top number on his favorite contacts, which were simply labeled by number. A second later, the line connected.

“Code Orange, the Prince is in immediate danger but currently unharmed.” Wonho relayed as he craned his head to try to see better out the window. “The Goshen building on Twenty-Fifth. Our driver took some fire from the roof, bring the SWAT team and a small team of decoy vehicles. Yes. Bring them out front.”

He pulled away from the blinds and pocketed his phone once he’d hung up, turning to his charge. “Our extraction is on the way. I’ll just need to get you through this rabble, first.”

“Code… Orange? You have codes like a terror watch?” Hyungwon asked, incredulous.

Wonho nodded. “Similar, yes. Green is no threat but something minor is wrong, such as a driver isn't where they're meant to be. Yellow is a potential, perceived or suspected threat but nothing has happened yet. Orange is for when your life is in danger. Red is if you are seriously injured.”

“And what about my cousin and uncle? What if the guards just… find you dead?” Hyungwon asked softly.

“That's… a Code Black.” Wonho answered, tone equally solemn.

“And you really call me the prince, huh? I thought that was a joke between you all.” Hyungwon let out a humorless laugh.

“It's our code name for you, to protect your identity in some cases, but mostly for brevity. Your father is King. Your uncle was Duke. Your cousin was Baron.” Wonho elaborated. He heard some distant shouting, a door opening, then footsteps nearing them. He readied his gun before standing to the side of the door, making sure Hyungwon was behind him.

Someone breached the door, but Wonho was ready, forcing the pistol out of those outstretched hands and grabbing one of the stranger’s wrists. He shoved his foot against the man’s leg, using the leverage to topple him to the ground. He twisted the hand in his own into a painful position, causing the man to cry out. He kicked his helmet off. He looked… young. Unseasoned. Perfect.

“What’s your endgame here?” Wonho snarled, pointing his pistol at the man.

The young man stammered out something in another language. Wonho guessed it might be Mandarin.

“He says his Korean isn't great but please not to kill him.” Hyungwon translated… not at all surprising, since Wonho knew the man had a few foreign languages under his belt.

“Ask him why he's here.” Wonho said. Hyungwon did. The man sputtered out an answer in Mandarin, motioning to Hyungwon. Wonho wrenched his arm a little again to make sure he didn't get any ideas. The man whimpered.

“He says… they were given a picture of me and ordered to shoot me on sight, plus anyone else with me.” Hyungwon repeated in Korean.

“Shoot him? Not take hostage?” Wonho asked.

Hyungwon said the same thing in Mandarin.

The man clarified, nodding and yelping again when Wonho twisted his grip.

“He says the order was to shoot on sight.” Hyungwon repeated breathlessly.

“Thank you for your cooperation.” Wonho muttered before putting a bullet between the man’s eyes. Hyungwon looked away.

The bodyguard dropped his grip on the mercenary’s arm, then checked his ammo. He'd been counting his rounds correctly, but better to be safe than sorry.

“I just don't understand it. Why… why would they want me dead? Wouldn’t they rather kidnap me and take a ransom? What does killing me do?” Hyungwon asked, an edge of panic and confusion seeping in his voice.

“It sends a message. It… inflicts pain, upon your father.” Wonho reasoned. “It does imply that whoever is behind this is not interested in money, but rather is set on vengeance.”

“So I get to die so someone can piss off my dad. Great!” Hyungwon’s voice had risen to a nervous pitch, and his hands were visibly shaking.

“Hyungwon-ssi.” Wonho said, resting his free hand on the younger man’s shoulder and squeezing gently. “Don't ever believe that. No one will lay a finger on you. I promise I will protect you.”

Hyungwon felt all the air leave his lungs. Not because he was particularly taken aback by the statement, but because he was shocked at just how much relief it brought him. He believed him. He knew he could trust him to keep that promise.

“We need to move before more of them come.” Wonho told him, tossing his head toward the door. “Stay behind me and move quickly. If I give you an order, follow it. If I say duck, you duck. If I say run, you run.”

Hyungwon nodded. Satisfied, Wonho moved through the door, making sure the hallway was clear before waving to his charge to follow. They heard the walkie-talkie on the dead mercenary crackle to life behind them just as they reached the stairwell door. That meant they didn't have a lot of time.

“Move.” Wonho whispered, and the both of them bolted down the stairs. They could hear several sets of footsteps below them. They reached as far as the third floor when the footfalls grew concerningly close. Wonho poked his head over the railing to see a squad of men just below them. He cursed under his breath and grabbed Hyungwon, pushing him through the door to the third floor. He found another office to duck into, clearing the room quickly before pulling Hyungwon in with him.

They heard the stairwell door open again, then, footsteps.

Wonho stood behind the door, and when the first gunman walked through, he quickly disarmed him and with two lightning-fast strikes had rendered him unconscious on the floor.

Another two followed, but they were dispatched just as efficiently.

“You know that it’s _very_ attractive when you do that, right?” Hyungwon intoned, the same kind of look in his eyes that one may give a lover moments before tearing their clothes off.

Wonho blinked. “While that's flattering, sir, your life is still in danger. Please stay focused.”

“Sorry, this is me coping with that.” Hyungwon replied, giving him another long look and biting his lip. “...maybe.”

Wonho rolled his eyes. Where had that come from? He'd always gotten a sense that Hyungwon was fond of him… as fond as one could be of their bodyguard, he supposed, but he'd never outwardly expressed anything close to that forward before. It was a little jarring.

It took him a moment to regain his focus, stepping over the fallen mercenaries and heading back out into the hallway. He checked the stairwell before waving for Hyungwon to follow. They could hear people milling below them, and only managed to make it to the second floor. The whole area was an open studio with nowhere to take cover. Wonho cursed. The building layout he'd looked at must have been outdated and didn't reflect that.

He stuck close to the stairwell door, moving Hyungwon behind him but back several paces. The footsteps drew closer. Then, the door burst open and four men filtered in with SEAL-team efficiency, machine guns at the ready. Wonho sprang into action before they could notice him.

He drop-kicked the AK-47 out of the hands of the man taking point, grabbing him and turning him just as the one behind him opened fire. The man’s body armor was useless against 7.62 rounds at that range, and he was dead by the time Wonho shoved him against the shooter, using the motion as cover to pivot around and land a perfect punch to his jaw that knocked the man out.

The third mercenary raised his gun but Wonho was quicker, knocking it out of his grasp. They traded blows, but eventually Wonho got a grip on the man’s flak and used the leverage to lay him out, shooting him in the space between his helmet and vest. He gagged, clawing at his neck which was gushing blood.

The fourth man had slipped past the rabble and headed right for the target. Hyungwon yelped and scrambled back against the wall, but right before the man reached him, Wonho grabbed him and wrestled him away, his face surprisingly impassive for someone in the middle of combat. Only a hint of anger showed through the edges of his mouth and narrowed eyes. He was almost scowling as he strangled the man with his own three-point sling, the machine gun attached to it dangling uselessly at his side.

When the man’s struggling ceased, Wonho dropped him like a heap upon the ground, glancing over to check his charge’s condition. He appeared uninjured.

Hyungwon stood there for several seconds, doing all he could to stop himself from hyperventilating. His eyes tracked over their fallen enemies and back to his bodyguard, who was watching him with concern. The words that came out of his mouth were mostly unbidden; like a stray thought escaping without consent.

“I would let you fuck me into the _ground_ right now.”

To his credit, Wonho remained unfettered, even if that comment did admittedly make him a little hot under the collar. He may have been a trained killer, but he was only human, and he was starting to realize he was hopelessly attracted to his current charge, no matter how idiotic and dangerous that attraction was to have.

“Let me focus on stopping all these people who want to _put_ you in the ground first.” Wonho chided, creeping up to the door to check around the corner, gun at the ready.

“ _First_ … that implies you're open to the prospect at a less inconvenient time.” Hyungwon said observantly, his tone still a little hysterical under the surface.

“Not now, please.” Wonho hissed.

“Right, we've established that. But _later_ …” Hyungwon drawled.

“It wasn't a yes.” Wonho said flatly.

“It wasn't a no, either.” Hyungwon rebutted, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Wonho opened his mouth to respond, only to hear a not-so-distant shout from somewhere in the stairwell, a clear and concise check-in. Without an answer, footsteps approached hastily.

“We need to move.” Wonho said, grabbing Hyungwon and pulling him through the doorway. They descended the stairs quickly, slipping quietly into one of the equipment rooms to avoid the guards milling around the lobby.

“There's so many of them…” Hyungwon whispered, hands trembling as he held fast to Wonho’s bicep just for some kind of purchase.

“Someone spent a lot of money for a death squad, just to take you out.” Wonho picked up his cell and dialed Minhyuk. The man answered immediately. “Status?”

“SWAT’s on the roof but there's no one there. The guys that fired at me must have moved inside. You guys okay?” The driver asked.

“We are. I've taken out most of them… we’re on the first floor now. They probably have their guys down here with eyes on the lobby so I can't have you pull around just yet. I'll call again when it's clear.” Wonho explained.

“Sir yes sir.” Minhyuk responded before disconnecting the line. Hyungwon tugged on his arm, pointing toward the door.

Wonho pocketed his phone just in time to hear someone approach. A burly man dressed in a suit, therefore sans helmet and flak, came bursting through the door, a massive knife in hand. 

He had no time to react. The thug drop-kicked Wonho in the chest and he flew back, barely managing to catch himself on the narrow hallway’s walls before he could hit the ground. The stranger had turned instantly, lunging for Hyungwon with his knife raised. Wonho launched himself off the wall and in between them, grunting through gritted teeth when the knife sliced through his shoulder. He elbowed the man in the larynx, then turned, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him hard into the opposite wall in the too-tight space, his feet inches above the ground. He fell unconscious and the bodyguard dropped him with a scowl.

He turned to check on his charge again. He was clearly terrified, but his eyes fell to the slice of white visible under his suit, which was slowly turning red.

“Y-you're bleeding—” Hyungwon murmured, pointing at the crimson stain.

“It's a shallow wound, it’s fine.” Wonho assured dismissively, checking around the corner again. He noticed an emergency exit across the hall, now unguarded. He picked up his cell again. The line connected immediately. “Have the decoy vehicles pass by the front. You pull in on the southwest street; there's a side entrance there.”

“You got it, boss.” Minhyuk confirmed, then disconnected the line.

“Hyungwon-ssi, get ready to run.” Wonho told his charge. The younger man nodded.

He gave it a full minute, so Minhyuk would be close. On second sixty-one, they bolted for the exit. The mercenaries were largely distracted by the cars pulling up out front, but one guarding the back noticed them and raised his gun. Wonho returned fire, managing to hit him in the leg just as they cleared the wall. Hyungwon pushed open the door and Wonho didn't stop, wrapping his arm around the younger man to shield him from any further fire just as Minhyuk pulled up. The car was barely stopped by the time Wonho wrenched open the door. Hyungwon dove in and Wonho was right behind him, turning in time to see another guard running for the closing exit door. Wonho fired at him three times before slamming the car door and yelling to Minhyuk, “Floor it.”

He did as he was told, gunning it out of the area and taking the corner hard. Wonho braced Hyungwon against the seat, turning to him once they were on a straightaway.

“Are you hurt?” Wonho asked, looking him over. He didn't see any visible damage. That was a good sign, at least. When he didn't get an answer, he tried again. “Sir, are you all right?”

“I'm… no, I'm not! I am, but, I’m not. I… those men… they were there to kill me! And you… you just… annihilated them.” Hyungwon was hyperventilating again. Wonho grabbed him a water bottle from the cooler and handed to him. The model gave a wry scoff. “I am gonna need something stronger than this!”

“No alcohol. You're coming off an adrenaline high. Drink it.” Wonho chided, motioning to the bottle. His charge sighed, finally taking several gulps.

When they arrived at his building, Minhyuk parked the car out front and got out to get the door as he always did. He looked frazzled.

“Boss Chae has been contacted, but as you know he is currently overseas. It will be some time before he gets back, but it's my understanding that he is on his way. We’ll update him on Hyungwon-ssi’s condition.” He cocked his head at the red stain on Wonho’s shirt, watching as the man fished through the limo’s trunk. “Do you need me to call for a medic?”

“No, this will suffice. Just have a new suit sent up for me in the morning.” Wonho replied, waving the medkit he retrieved from the trunk. He closed it before returning to Hyungwon, putting a protective arm around him as he led him up to his penthouse.

“Will do.” Minhyuk mumbled dazedly, offering a weak wave.

“Are you sure I can't drink?” Hyungwon whined as they entered his apartment, wringing his hands.

“Yes. Please wait here while I take care of this?” Wonho requested, motioning to his wound. Hyungwon nodded, plopping down on the couch. However, after several minutes, he became stir-crazy again and stood, beginning to pace anxiously.

Wonho ducked into Hyungwon’s guest bathroom, shedding his jacket. He hung it on the towel rack, though he had no intention of trying to salvage it. A vermillion stain bloomed across the shoulder of his shirt, a stark contrast to the crisp white of the fabric. He pulled off his holsters, wincing when the strap raked over the wound. Once he’d hung those next to his jacket, he unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it off. He wiped the excess blood from his skin before spraying the cut with a disinfectant, closing it with a few butterfly bandages and finally applying gauze overtop. 

Wonho pressed the gauze bandage down to keep it in place as he padded out into the bedroom, still shirtless. It wasn't likely that Hyungwon had anything that would fit him anyway, and it was better than scaring his charge with just how much blood there was.

“Wonho, how’s-?” The Chae prince’s query died in his throat as his eyes fell on the other man. His suit had been hiding so much… a strong physique to die for, for one… as well as several tattoos; there was a cluster of stars, some intricate designs he was sure held some significance to the muscle of the geondal culture, and some kind of westernized X-shape. His torso and arms were also home to several scars… many knife-like cuts, but he was sure he spotted at least one starburst that resembled a bullet wound. “Er. Your cut. How's your cut?”

“The bandages will hold off the need for stitches for now, if I even need them at all.” Wonho answered, watching him carefully. He could see his eyes track over every inch of bared skin. He didn't shy away.

Hyungwon worried at his bottom lip, gaze heavily upon Wonho. He felt all the tension leave him as soon as the man returned to the room. He truly placed his life in this man's hands, and the comfort he felt with him around was palpable.

“Good…” He closed the distance between them, bringing a hand up to gently trace the outer edge of the gauze. “You… took a knife for me.”

“Perhaps it escaped your notice, but it _is_ part of my job description.” Wonho replied in a low voice, matching the other man’s tone.

“It's one thing to claim you will, it's another to actually do it…” Hyungwon countered, his other hand coming up to rest softly over Wonho’s heart, leaning closer. His chest was so warm; he was like a furnace. The younger man shivered. The bodyguard placed his own hand over his, gently trying to coax him away.

“Hyungwon-ssi… you're experiencing an endorphin high due to the crash of adrenaline after the rush caused by the immediate danger to your life. What you're feeling will pass.” Wonho told him, too clinically. “Don't act on something you will inevitably regret—”

“You must be some kind of moron if you truly think the adrenaline is the only reason I feel this way.” Hyungwon countered with a certain ferocity that the other man had never seen from him before. “I know what I want; I want you. And at the risk of sounding petulant and cliché, I’m used to getting what I want.”

It _was_ a little petulant, maybe. But Wonho knew that the near-death experience was only a catalyst for the feelings that had been brewing, apparently for both of them, over the last several weeks. He was merely trying to distance himself from the emotion of the situation, just as he always did… as he’d always been trained to do. But it seemed impossible, because he couldn’t deny how he felt.

Hyungwon continued. “So unless you have objections rooted in something other than fear for my well-being or a sick sense of duty, then—”

In that moment, Wonho either made the biggest mistake of his career, the best decision of his life, or possibly both. He surged forward, his lips capturing Hyungwon’s as he pinned him against the nearby wall, his hands cradling the younger man’s head and hip from the impact. They kissed, deep and reckless… weeks worth of pent-up feelings finally left uncaged. Wonho’s left hand slipped down and hooked under Hyungwon’s thigh, sliding the other’s leg over his hip as to allow himself to press even closer, though it seemed impossible to do so.

Hyungwon let out something like a whine and a moan, though it was quickly lost between them. He arched his back as their hips slotted together perfectly, and let himself melt in that strong embrace. The heir to an empire, he was always used to being in control… but for a moment, it felt wonderful to be powerless, yet utterly protected.

It took him several moments to find his bearings enough to wrench his leg down out of Wonho’s hold. He took the other man by the shoulders and spun them, pinning the bodyguard against the wall, now.

“Fucking gorgeous.” Hyungwon rasped, his hands exploring every inch of the other man’s chest, like he couldn't get enough of him. His fingers rested on his right pectoral, rolling the nipple between his fingers in a way that made Wonho jolt under him. The younger man practically cooed. “Mm, sensitive there?”

He dipped his head down to take the other one into his mouth, his tongue flicking over the bud. Wonho let out a soft moan, but when Hyungwon suckled hard, he had to grit his teeth to keep his volume down. 

After a long moment, Hyungwon fell to his knees, fingers deftly undoing Wonho’s belt and ridding him of it. It had barely tumbled across the floor by the time he was undoing the button and fly, splaying those perfectly pressed black slacks open. Wonho was already hard for him, the drooling tip of his cock peeking out from under the waistband of his navy blue boxer-briefs. Hyungwon ran his palm over him through the fabric, licking his lips before worrying his teeth over the bottom one.

“God I want you so badly...” Hyungwon husked in a voice like a moan, meeting Wonho’s eyes. The need and desire he saw in them was far from a rejection, even if he wouldn't verbalize it. He freed him from the confines of his underwear and immediately took him into his hand, running his tongue along the shaft in a slow, deliberate gesture before taking him into his mouth.

Wonho had never done this sort of thing with a client... he had always drawn a stark line between business and pleasure. Hyungwon however was proving to be an expert at demolishing his barriers. It was just that he never wanted to feel like it was payment… some kind of reward for a job well done. But this… this wasn't that. Hyungwon looked up at him not with reverence, but with need. Desire burned through him, his very fingertips alight with it as he dragged his hands down Wonho’s thighs and took him to the hilt, nearly gagging but willing it away with a hard swallow.

“Fuck—!” Wonho shouted uncharacteristically. Hyungwon was wrecking his composure, but he couldn't think of anyone else he would trust more to see him at his most vulnerable.

The younger man moaned around him, loving that he was taking him apart like this. Even he understood what a privilege it was to see such a man let down his guard. He cherished the trust that his bodyguard had in him. He finally eased off, pulling back and letting his tongue roll over the tip of him, laving over the frenulum torturously slow as his eyes trailed up to meet his once again.

Wonho let out a shuddering breath, holding the other man’s eyes with his own and carding his hand into his hair, just to keep him from moving in again for a second more. “Hyungwon-ssi—”

Hyungwon suckled at him once before pulling off, lips shining. His next words were something like an order. “I want you to fuck me.”

Wonho’s head was swimming. He knew this was wrong on several levels. That didn't mean he wanted to stop. “I—”

“ _Into the ground_.” The younger man interrupted, brokering no argument. He stood and crowded Wonho back against the wall, kissing him with renewed ferocity.

Wonho snaked one strong arm around Hyungwon’s waist, lifting him with little effort. The other man’s legs came up and eagerly wrapped around his waist, the bodyguard securing him there with a hand on his thigh.

“Hopefully into the mattress is acceptable.” He murmured against those plush, perfect lips, all but blindly carrying him to the bed. As soon as he set the other man down, he helped him rid himself of his shirt, tossing the offending garment across the room.

“I'm flexible.” Hyungwon quipped.

“I'm counting on it.” Wonho replied with a smirk, letting the other man wriggle out of his grip just long enough to start getting out of his pants.

Wonho took the opportunity to take care of his own as well, toeing off his shoes before letting his slacks drop and stepping out of them. When he turned back to Hyungwon, he was down to only his designer Westwood boxers.

The bodyguard grabbed them by the waistband and yanked them off, tossing them aside as he knelt on the bed. He grabbed Hyungwon’s hips and flipped him like he weighed nothing, only to grab them again, pulling him up onto his knees. He had to admire that cute, perky ass for just a second before leaning in and running the flat of his tongue right between his cheeks and over his rim.

“Oh holy shit-!” Hyungwon cursed, back arching as his hands gripped the duvet like a lifeline at the unexpected contact. He let out a long moan when Wonho did it again, pressing himself into the sheets from cheek to collarbone. 

Wonho delighted in that he was the one causing the other man to lose his composure, now, laving his tongue over him in long, languid strokes. He paused, pressing the very tip just inside… only to flick over him once before continuing those slow ministrations.

Hyungwon let out a delicious little sound at that, pushing back against him like a silent plea for more. Wonho worked him at a torturous pace, taking his sweet time until he finally began to press inside once more, this time as deep as he could go.

“F-fuck—!” Hyungwon whined into the mattress, knuckles whitening as he twisted his hands in the sheets so hard he thought they might tear. All he wanted to do was ruin Wonho and his stern composure but here Wonho was ruining _him_ and it was driving him crazy.

Wonho was reveling in it… but not for any sick sense of pride or control. He was so used to seeing Hyungwon high-strung and constantly busy. He was always trying to appease someone… it was nice to be the one offering to please him. More than that, it had gutted him to see the younger man so terrified earlier. He wanted to be the person who brought him every kind of comfort and consolation.

“Wonho… Wonhonnie, please-!” The nickname sent a thrill of fondness through him and he decided to oblige him, pulling back and pressing a kiss to the dimples at the base of his spine.

“Mm?” Wonho hummed, like a question. Hyungwon whimpered. 

“I want you to fuck me… for real…” It was quite adorable how he had to say so through panting breaths, his limbs trembling even though Wonho had stopped what he was doing. He arched back to look over his shoulder. “The nightstand—”

“—on the left, I know. I'm your bodyguard after all. I have to know everything.” He gently squeezed the other man’s hip before crossing the massive bed to retrieve what they needed. Wonho had been known to canvas his charge’s rooms, so of course he knew exactly where he hid every little secret.

Wonho returned moments later with a condom and the lube. Hyungwon was still watching him over his shoulder, eyes hooded. A distinct need crossed his face as he witnessed Wonho slicking up his fingers. The bodyguard noticed, and smirked at him.

“Something I can do for you, sir?” He asked innocently.

Hyungwon’s gaze was smoldering. “Yes. You can get on with it.”

Wonho snorted in amusement, but obliged, running his fingers over Hyungwon’s rim. He pressed a single finger inside, which he took easily thanks to the prep work his earlier ministrations had already seen to. The model let out a long, low whine that was equal parts satisfied and needy for more.

Wonho’s fingers were thick, just like the rest of him, so he took his sweet time in preparing his prince… it was several minutes before he pressed in a second digit alongside the first. He scissored them slowly, watching the other man for any negative reaction. He couldn't see his face from this angle, but he could watch the muscles of his shoulders twitch as he writhed, making pleasured little sounds punctuated by a few coherent words, nothing more than “yes” and the occasional curse.

He drizzled more lube onto his fingers before adding a third. The stretch was obviously a lot for Hyungwon, but he didn't offer any complaints, just threw his head back and punched out a stuttered breath of a moan. Soon, he was rocking back against the bodyguard’s hand, quick and desperate.

“Please, Wonho, I’m ready, just… _please_.” Hyungwon begged, pushing back against him more forcefully than before.

“I'm not going to hurt you.” Wonho murmured, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to the other man’s svelte hip as if to vouchsafe the statement. Hyungwon felt a pang of fondness like an ache in his chest.

“I swear I can take it. Please, give it to me.” Hyungwon rasped. “Please, Wonhonnie… you promised to fuck me into this mattress. I want you to fuck me until I can't even remember my own _name_.”

Wonho’s mind temporarily went blank. Well. Not only was he entirely hopeless at denying his charge anything, but he couldn't possibly say no to such an eager request. He finally removed his fingers, which had Hyungwon whimpering in a grateful, yet regretful way. Wonho slid on the condom, slicking himself up before pressing the head of his cock against the younger man’s rim.

Hyungwon let out an absolutely wrecked little, “yes!” and rutted back against him. Wonho had to hold his hips just so he could guide himself into that tight heat slow enough that he wouldn't hurt him. The man under him writhed, trying desperately to take him deeper until Wonho was fully seated.

He paused just to catch his breath, and let Hyungwon catch his. The other man was trembling, his nerves alight with desire and need and he looked as though he might go mad if he didn't get what he wanted. Finally, his chest no longer heaving, his charge looked back over his shoulder, his eyes taking a moment to focus.

“Wonho, move, _please_.”

That sweet, broken sound could have seen him through anything, and he would’ve had to have been a stronger man to deny him. 

The first movement of his hips was a slow slide out of him just to the tip before thrusting back into that perfect heat, too-gentle. Hyungwon groaned, pushing back against him when he did it again, once more far too gentle.

“Goddamnit Wonho, fuck me like you mean it.” Hyungwon hissed.

From that moment, all bets were off.

The once slow, steady cadence of Wonho’s hips soon ramped up into a fast, rough pistoning. The first several thrusts sent him sliding across the duvet, and he had to press his forearms hard into the mattress just to stop himself from shifting too close to the edge of the bed. Wonho held fast to his hips, using the leverage to pull him back against each thrust as though he weighed absolutely nothing. His bodyguard was in complete control, and he surrendered willingly.

Hyungwon’s hands scrabbled over the sheets, desperate for purchase as he was rocked against them harder and harder. He felt at any moment as though he might just melt into the mattress, with nowhere else for him to go. All he could do was take it and revel in it. Wonho’s solid grip on his hips was the only thing keeping him from jolting off the bed from the force of each thrust.

The pace was breakneck and the force overwhelming, but there was nothing brutal or harsh about it. There was no anger or resentment, only passion, and Hyungwon felt it roll over him like a raging fire. He suddenly became incredibly distressed that he couldn't watch the other man as he came undone.

“Wonho… Wonhonnie, please, wanna see you.” Hyungwon begged.

The bodyguard halted his movements, using his grip on the other man’s hips to flip him over effortlessly, managing to do so without pulling all the way out of him. When he pressed back in again, Hyungwon let out a wrecked moan, watching him raptly. His intense look of lust-filled concentration as he watched where his own cock slid into the other man was intoxicating, but when he glanced up to his lover’s face to ensure he was enjoying it… that was glorious.

Hyungwon stared up at this man who was like an Adonis forged and gifted to him by the gods themselves, watching in awe as he tended to him as if _he_ were the one worthy of worship. He arched back when another thrust sent him slipping across the sheets, his legs clutching at either side of Wonho’s waist.

The bodyguard slid his hand under one leg, lifting it until he could hook the ankle over his good shoulder. The shift in position had Hyungwon crying out when his cock raked across that bundle of nerves inside him that set his blood on fire.

“Flexible indeed.” Wonho murmured with a cocky little smirk, kissing Hyungwon’s shin where it was resting on his uninjured shoulder. He held him there by his knee and rolled his hips, getting a feel for that rhythm again… though it was less brutal than before. Now that Wonho could see his face, he seemed to want to revel in it… drag out each sensation and watch as they danced across those expressive features.

“Oh god, _oh my god Wonho, fuck—!_ ” Hyungwon rasped, the words blending together in a torrent.

Wonho growled, leaning down and letting Hyungwon’s leg drop to the crook of his elbow. He picked up his pace again, ramping up to that rough rhythm once more that had the younger man moaning eagerly under him. He trailed his mouth over the younger man’s neck, pressing hot kisses across the sensitive flesh, letting his tongue lave over his adam’s apple. He raked his teeth slowly across the curve of it, then nipped ever-so-gently at him.

Hyungwon gripped Wonho’s hair none too gently, pressing the man’s face hard against his neck as he whimpered a litany of “Yes! Please please _please please please_ —!”

Unable to deny him, despite that it was against his better judgement, Wonho worried his teeth possessively over his pulse-point, sucking a dark purple bruise into the skin. Hyungwon was his; his to protect and to keep and now it was written plainly there upon his skin.

Hyungwon’s grip on his hair tightened and he hooked his leg hard at the small of Wonho’s back, forcing him closer and deeper and _fuck_ , he was so far gone he felt delirious. His bodyguard groaned at the action but blessedly his pace didn't even falter, and Hyungwon had to admire the discipline that made that possible… at least he would, if he had enough awareness at the moment to think about anything other than how fucking amazing he felt.

“Shit… Wonho… I'm gonna—god, yes, don't stop—” He threw his head back, but when Wonho sucked a twin bruise into the opposite side of his neck as the other, that was it. He wailed, trying to stifle it halfway through by biting his own lip, at least until he felt a tongue sliding up over his adam's apple again which had him devolving into a keening mess a second later. He came hard, making a mess between them. He shivered with every thrust at the friction of the continued, unrelenting pace, hands raking over the rippling muscles of Wonho’s back, slick with a sheen of sweat.

His bodyguard didn't slow until he was sure Hyungwon had gotten his absolute fill, but when he did pull back enough to look down at the younger man, Hyungwon just tightened the grip of his leg around Wonho’s waist, dragging him closer.

“C’mon, let me see you lose some of that composure, bad boy.” He moaned, devouring him with his eyes as he bit his bottom lip, already swollen and red.

“Shit—” Wonho hissed, leaning down to kiss those smug words right out of his mouth, grinding into him hard as he came with a violent shudder and a bitten-off groan against those reddened lips.

Hyungwon let out a soft little whine of approval, pulling Wonho down so that the majority of his weight was on top of him and not allowing him to move away. He felt safe like this, safe and warm and as if all was right with the world.

Wonho didn't let himself think about the potential consequences, or even the danger… in this moment, he was focused only on the contented look of bliss on his prince’s face. He let those pleasant thoughts carry him into the most restful sleep he'd had in years.


	4. Chapter 4

Sunlight pierced through the windows, illuminating the soft lines of Hyungwon’s sleeping face. Wonho was always awake before the dawn, alarm or no, so he'd allowed himself to enjoy this small measure of contentment as they lay together, the younger man still dozing, dead to the world for hours more, still.

When the Chae prince did wake, it was to his blaring alarm clock. His arm flailed out to silence it, nearly hitting Wonho in the face. He caught the younger man’s wrist, causing him to go rigid for several seconds before he opened his eyes and his sleep-addled brain supplied an explanation for someone being in his bed. His tension eased.

Wonho silenced the alarm, then looked at his prince, expression impassive. “Good morning.”

“No such thing.” Hyungwon huffed, collapsing against the other man’s chest. “How long have you been awake and brooding?”

“Hours.” Wonho admitted. Apparently his expression wasn't as impassive as he'd hoped. “Hyungwon-ssi—”

“Before you speak, I just have one request.” The younger man said, completely serious despite how tired he sounded. “I don't want to hear about how this was a bad idea and it should have never happened and we should just forget the whole thing. I will accept cold rejection for whatever bullshit reasons you can concoct before I accept that. But I know this is what we both want, and I'm not going to sit back and let your sense of honor ruin something this good.”

Wonho blinked. Sometimes Hyungwon’s forthcoming nature was jarring… and this was one of those moments. There was no denying he was right, though. All his sense told him this was a terrible idea, even if his heart didn't want to hear it.

Finally, he nodded with a soft hum. “Fine. Honor be damned, then.”

Hyungwon rolled his eyes. “You can keep your honor, you pabo. It's not like I make a habit of sleeping with the staff. You're… different.”

“Chae Hyungwon, are you trying to romance me?” Wonho teased, a grin breaking out across his face.

Hyungwon slapped the other man’s chest. “Shut up. I'm just trying to tell you I'm not usually this much of a slut. I've actually never slept with a staff member.”

Wonho rolled his eyes. “While it's comforting to know I'm not just the flavor of the week, I wouldn't think any less of you if you did. You could not possibly get around more than your cousin did. I'm far beyond judging people for seeking pleasure or companionship whenever and however they can find it.”

Hyungwon made a face at him. “Didn't peg you as a particularly progressive, free-love type, but… I'm not complaining.”

“Well, I don't know about ‘free-love’; I'm a bit possessive.” Wonho murmured, rolling them over and moving Hyungwon so that he was looming over him, his hands to either side of the younger man’s head on the mattress. He let his hips grind down enticingly against him, then dipped down to gently kiss one of the twin bruises he'd left on his neck. “But… I do think people should seek what they want. Life’s short.”

“Says the guy who got stabbed yesterday, so you'd know.” Hyungwon quipped back, though his tone had an undercurrent of breathless need.

“I would.” Wonho agreed, trailing soft kisses down Hyungwon’s chest. When he reached his navel, his tongue flicked over it teasingly.

Hyungwon lifted himself up on his elbows to peer down at him, eyebrow raised. “And just what are you doing?”

“I know how much you hate mornings.” Wonho murmured, letting his tongue trace over the lines of his abdomen, the vee of his hip, the juncture where it met his thigh. “I think I can break you of that.”

In that moment, Hyungwon had little doubt he could.

“With the right motivation…” Wonho continued, taking Hyungwon’s cock into his hand as it hardened under his teasing touch. “I think you could come to love mornings.”

The statement was laughable, but all the younger man could do was moan.

Wonho mouthed at him until he was fully hard. Hyungwon was longer than himself, but not as thick. He let his tongue play across the frenulum before taking just the tip into his mouth, suckling gently… just enough pressure to leave him wanting more.

Hyungwon whined, his head dropping back between his shoulder blades. His hips twitched up a little, encouraging Wonho to take him deeper, which he did some seconds later. That dragged a delicious little sound out of Hyungwon; low and long and _wanting_.

Wonho moved, keeping his weight on his elbows and letting his hands rest on Hyungwon’s hips as he bobbed his head, slow at first. His eyes were on his lover the entire time… even when he could not see his face, he watched the way his chest heaved, the way those long lines of his neck twitched, right where those little purple marks he’d left were displayed so prominently. He groaned around the cock in his mouth and Hyungwon jolted under him.

The slow rhythm Wonho had set eventually quickened, little by little, until he was moving faster along with the small jerks of Hyungwon’s hips, so desperately chasing more of that perfect heat. Wonho’s fingertips dug into the younger man’s sides, encouraging him, and it wasn’t long before he was bucking under him. Wonho stilled and let Hyungwon fuck his mouth, gaze smoldering when the other man finally met his eyes again.

Hyungwon’s right hand flew down to clutch at Wonho’s hair, hissing out a litany of the other’s name and a slew of curses as he came, eyes fluttering back again when it simply became too much. Wonho swallowed every last drop, flicking his tongue over his slit when he finally pulled off. The younger man shivered, letting out a weak little moan.

Wonho climbed back over him again, nipping softly at those little marks on his neck, and for a moment, all was right with the world.

***

Hyungwon could have covered up any number of ways… makeup, with him being a model, would not have been seen as out of the ordinary. A turtleneck, while a bit out of season, if light enough would have been accepted. A scarf, which he frequently sported with no shame, would not have been out of place. But no, Hyungwon instead chose to wear a choker—a thick, _velvet_ choker, which his fingers traced along distractedly all day and made Wonho think things he would be ashamed to say out loud.

And he knew what he was doing; he had to have, the way his eyes, half-lidded with boredom would track slowly across the room until they fell upon his lover. He'd dart his tongue over his lips and smile secretly, just for him, all the while those long, elegant digits fingering the soft fabric of the choker on his neck. His father, though he had called for the meeting, spent half of it on the phone, and didn't notice.

Later that night, Wonho would press his hand against that velvet just hard enough to leave his prince feeling dizzy when he finally let up, all while leaving more marks upon his pristine skin in places where he alone would see them. Hyungwon would not return the favor… his mouth only ever gently paying homage to his flesh, which was already marred with plenty of odes to his dedication for his lover and his service to the Chae Family. 

And while Wonho could worry himself sick that he was only doing their dynamic harm, that he was somehow less equipped to protect Hyungwon when he let his feelings dictate his actions this way, he could not deny that his prince could not possibly have been safer than when they were tangled together in blissful sleep.

They managed to keep their relationship largely a secret as well, an easy task since Wonho was expected to be in Hyungwon’s presence almost constantly. Furthermore, he had Shownu, Boss Chae’s head bodyguard, looking out for him. They'd been close growing up as wards of the Syndicate and had both been considered for Shownu’s current position, the latter winning out largely due to his age and strength advantage at the time (though admittedly in the following years, Wonho had surpassed him in that respect). Shownu saw him as a brother, though, and would sent a quick warning text when Boss Chae was planning to go see his son or mentioned sending a business associate in his direction as well.

The chauffeurs were equally agreeable, leaving whatever happened in the back of the limo exactly there when the divider was up. Minhyuk even expressed his happiness for them, although Jooheon just wheedled at Wonho, teasingly reminding him, “I told you he was a handful.”

There still weren't any leads on the attack as the days went by, and Boss Chae was anxious. His concern over the situation was only making Hyungwon more high strung. It had only been two weeks since the attack but Hyungwon had been to more security meetings than he'd ever attended in his life. His father wanted him to make far too many lifestyle changes and he simply wasn't having it. Tighter security in his building he could stand. More vetting for his modeling contracts, absolutely fair. But when his father suggested another full-time bodyguard, potentially two, Hyungwon drew the line.

“Wonho took down all those mercenaries by himself. I don't need another guard. I know your cleanup crew saw what he left in that building.” Hyungwon gave him a meaningful look. “Just _what_ did they say about it?”

Boss Chae looked uncomfortable. “Well, you know I don't listen to those rumors…”

“What did they say?” Hyungwon repeated, punctuating each word like it was its own sentence.

Boss Chae sighed. “Word around the watercooler, as they say, was that it looked like Donnie Yen had blown through there.”

“Donnie fucking Yen.” Hyungwon said, pursing his lips and nodding with his eyebrows raised, his expression reading nothing less than ‘I told you so’. In the corner, Shownu was clearly trying not to lose his mind laughing. “I don't need another bodyguard. What I need, more than anything in this entire world, is a vacation.”

Boss Chae scoffed. “Son, I'm not sure that's a good idea. You should stay close to home, where my people can keep better watch over—”

“Father, please. My last vacation was ruined by that stalker… I'm going crazy being cooped up between here and my apartment. It's not good for my health.” To his credit, he at least knew how manipulative that last sentence had sounded. His father immediately looked sympathetic. “Just… a week or two. Nowhere public. I could… go to the island.”

Boss Chae seemed to consider it. “I suppose that's… a reasonable request. I'll have to assign you some additional staff.”

“No staff.” Hyungwon interrupted. “I want this to be a vacation. I'll just… take my bodyguard, since I know asking for a vacation entirely alone is unreasonable.”

“Well… the island is fairly remote, and few people outside the family even know of it. I suppose you're arguably safer there than here.” Boss Chae sighed. “Very well. Take one of the planes, I'll see to it that it's prepped.”

“Thank you, father.” Hyungwon bowed before taking his leave.

“Donnie Yen.” Boss Chae muttered, shaking his head and looking at Shownu. The guard snorted, and soon they were both laughing.

Hyungwon met Wonho in the waiting area, and the older man smiled at him. “Productive meeting, sir?”

Hyungwon made a face at him. “I know you're being facetious, but yes, actually. We're going on vacation.”

Wonho just blinked at him in surprise.

The next morning, they were on their way to Guam. The flight was longer than Hyungwon was used to partaking in on a regular basis, since his modeling work usually only sent him around greater Asia. They occupied themselves playing chess as they usually would, but after some hours that became a little rote.

Hyungwon glanced at the cabin door, which he knew the pilots would only open in the event of an emergency, before his eyes fell upon Wonho. The bodyguard knew that mischievous look anywhere.

“Say… wanna join the mile-high club?”

Hyungwon ended up riding Wonho with most of their clothes still on, muffling his moans with the bodyguard’s tie in his mouth.

They were put back together and presentable well before they landed, Wonho giving the pilots a nod of thanks for the smooth flight as they disembarked. From Guam, they had to take a small speedboat to the island. Hyungwon sat in the back and enjoyed the sun and the salt-spray and the wind as Wonho guided them to their destination.

Hyungwon didn't frequent the island, dubbed “Blue Moon Island” by his father… his photoshoots often took him to exotic locales on another person’s dime, and between his cousin, uncle and father, there wasn't much time when the island wasn't occupied by someone else. Wonho had been there plenty; it was, in fact, where he'd fished his former charge out of the sea after a drunken jet ski escapade. Of course, they'd been several miles out on the yacht, but when he got too seasick, he'd take all his stripper friends back to the island for lines and drunken sex.

Wonho docked the boat and offered Hyungwon a hand up onto the boardwalk. The younger man made an absolutely ridiculous face and curtsied, raising his voice into a feminine lilt to say sarcastically, “Oh why thank you sir!”

Wonho just rolled his eyes and smacked the man’s ass good-naturedly when he walked by.

It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at the bungalow. Wonho prepared them a quick meal and they sat on the back porch watching the sunset as the waves lapped at the shoreline. It was dead quiet; the kind of silence that would have been unsettling were it not for the calming sound of the water.

“I already feel like my blood-pressure is regulating.” Hyungwon teased, letting out a great and satisfied sigh. “Think I'm just gonna sleep early tonight, though. It's been a long day. A long week. A long… two weeks, actually.”

“You should rest.” Wonho agreed with a soft smile.

He did just that, curled against his bodyguard’s chest while the other man traced gentle patterns over his back and shoulder with his fingertips. Hyungwon had been asleep for nearly an hour by the time Wonho finally dozed off himself.

The next morning, Wonho awoke just before the dawn, as he always did. The bed was facing a wall of windows toward the east, and through the soft beige curtains he was able to watch the sunrise. It was nice to actually be able to enjoy this place as a visitor, even if he was technically still on-duty as Hyungwon’s guard. The younger man didn't treat it that way at all, however; after they both peeled themselves out of bed, when Wonho tried to put on his suit, Hyungwon protested.

“None of that.” He'd said. “Come swimming with me.”

Wonho’s skin had become pale from years of covering up. Hyungwon’s, however, maintained a healthy glow from all the time he spent out in the sun for shoots and just sitting out when he had the time, making sure his coloring was even. They spent a large portion of the day just relaxing along the shore in a massive water float, Hyungwon lying on Wonho’s chest and soaking in the sun. The bodyguard would have had the strangest tan-lines had he not been gratuitous with his sunscreen. The afternoon flew by them, spent dozing in the shade in a hammock.

The sun was setting when Hyungwon was finally conscious enough to attempt conversation again. “See, this is the kind of crap my geondal lineage and modeling fame is supposed to afford me. Don’t let me run myself ragged so much anymore. I need to actually stop and enjoy the perks sometimes.”

“Yes, sir.” Wonho agreed with a soft laugh, kissing the other man’s temple.

As night fell, the temperature dropped a little, so Wonho built a fire in a pit in the sand and made them some warm drinks. He even dragged the boss’s old telescope out so they could stargaze. Staring up into the night sky in a place where nothing but ocean surrounded you was, in itself, a calming experience. Hyungwon could have tried to count every star and put his restless mind at ease on that alone. Out here, it felt like all his problems and every danger was worlds away.

“Maybe father will just let me move out here permanently.” Hyungwon joked, eyes tracking over the glittering sky while the two of them laid on a blanket in the sand, Wonho’s arm around him in a gesture of both protection and comfort.

“Mm, you would tire of it eventually. I know you enjoy your sleep and solitude, but it would be torturous after long.” Wonho replied, his fingers moving slowly up and down the other man’s upper arm.

“As long as I had you here, I don’t think I would get bored.” Hyungwon countered, smirking up at him.

Wonho raised an eyebrow, glancing down at him in return. “Oh really? And just how am I to keep you busy in this imaginary eternity spent on an island paradise?”

“Hm. You’re gonna have to get a lot better at chess.” Hyungwon responded in a resolved tone, however, he was laughing a second later when Wonho rolled until he was perched over him. “Though I’m sure you could think of plenty other things to keep me occupied.”

“I have a few in mind.” Wonho said like it was an admission, dipping his head to kiss across his jawline, nibbling gently at the juncture where it met his neck, where he knew the other was so sensitive. Surely enough, the man beneath him shivered.

As if to prove his point, Wonho made love to him right there on the beach, taking special care to ensure his lover was comfortable, not rocking into him hard enough to shift the blanket around and let too much sand into their little plaid fabric sanctuary. He fucked him slow and sweet, and when Wonho slid his hands into the younger man’s, lacing their fingers together and pinning them to either side of him just above his head, he held fast until his knuckles went white. He came with a thready cry, eyes never leaving Wonho’s, looking up at him as though he hung the very stars, all while Wonho stared at Hyungwon like he was his sun and moon.

They laid there for another hour, drinking in the stillness of the night. It was open and tranquil and everything their city life was not. Eventually, Wonho got them redressed and he carried Hyungwon to bed, the younger man too tired and boneless to even stand on his own. The bodyguard just shook his head and chuckled at his needy prince, kissing his forehead as he picked him up. Once Wonho set him down and climbed into bed with him, Hyungwon wrapped himself around the other man before quickly falling asleep. They dozed on, tangled up together and entirely at peace.

Hours later, a noise awoke Wonho.

The bodyguard was, of course, a light sleeper… but this was not simply a coconut falling to the sand from a nearby palm, or the wind raking too quickly over the wooden shutters, or a stray animal scurrying outside.

This was a distinct tap-and-creak of a boot-clad foot on the floorboards.

Wonho rolled out of bed, grabbing his gun. He crept toward the door in just his sleep clothes, seemingly ill-prepared but entirely alert regardless of the hour. A cursory glance at the alarm clock in the corner told him it was after three in the morning. Hyungwon was still dead asleep, not having noticed him leave… which was fairly typical.

Another of those sounds. Wonho slipped out of the room and down the hall, clearing each area he passed as well as he could, but it was pitch black in the house. He had just reached the kitchen when he saw a figure cross the living room, catching just a glimpse of the points of light on night-vision headgear. He ducked behind the counter and moved around it quickly to get behind the attacker. However, when he emerged on the other side of the living room, the stranger was no longer there. There was no way they’d moved that quickly to the right area of the house unless… they knew the layout.

Wonho didn’t bother with stealth any longer, breaking into a run back down the hall. He caught sight of the mercenary just as they breached the doorway of the bedroom. As soon as the figure raised their gun, Wonho tackled them, both of them tumbling loudly to the ground and startling Hyungwon awake.

“Wonho, what’s—?!”

“Hyungwon-ssi, get down!” The bodyguard shouted, still wrestling with the attacker. The younger man scrabbled out of the bed and ducked over the other side of it, remaining crouched on the ground. He couldn’t get to the door without passing the rabble, so it was his only option.

The mercenary and Wonho traded blows, though the latter was at a distinct disadvantage as the other was decked out head-to-toe in tactical gear. He managed to wrench the goggles from the attacker’s head, which at least took away his visual advantage. The man kept trying to get back on his feet, but Wonho kept taking him down, realizing that the attacker knew he was vulnerable on the ground. The bodyguard used his jiu-jitsu training to take control of the situation, not allowing the man to grab for either of their dropped guns or his other weapons. The mercenary struggled valiantly but Wonho had simply too much of a strength advantage and once he got his arm around his throat, it was over. With one swift yank, he broke the man’s neck, and he slumped against him, deathly still.

Wonho climbed to his feet, grabbing his discarded gun. Hyungwon poked his head over the side of the mattress. “Wonhonnie, is he—?”

“Stay here.” Wonho snapped, bolting down the hall.

Despite the order, Hyungwon followed. “Where are you going?!”

“He can’t have come alone… he would have needed an extraction! Now stay there!” Wonho called back as he ran through the house and out the door. Running on sand was hell, but he pushed himself, spotting something amiss as he scanned the beach. There was a sleek black jet ski-like vehicle left by the dock. He could barely make out the shape of a small boat just off shore. He jumped onto the jet ski and gunned it for the boat, opening fire with his pistol.

Whoever was on the boat returned fire, and Wonho stayed ducked behind the handlebars, still taking shots. Eventually the machine under him lurched, the engine apparently having caught a bullet. They just kept firing. Wonho cursed, dropped his gun and jumped off into the water. He was just underneath the surface when the jet ski exploded, a bullet likely grazing the gas tank. When he resurfaced and took a breath, he saw the boat take off, and he could hear Hyungwon’s agonized shouting for him from the porch of the bungalow. Wonho cursed again and started swimming for the shore.

By the time he climbed out of the water, Hyungwon had run across the sand and plastered himself against the man’s chest, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Oh thank god you’re okay!” The younger man said, breathless and near-hysterical. Wonho returned the hug. “I saw the explosion and...”

“I’m fine. I just… couldn’t stop them before they got away.” Wonho murmured, clearly upset with himself. “Come on… we should get back inside. We need to call home.”

Hyungwon nodded, following him back inside. Wonho removed the dead body from the bedroom, leaving it outside in the sand for the cleanup crew to take care of in the morning. He needed to shower the saltwater and sand off of him, but the younger man wouldn’t leave his side, so they showered together, Hyungwon wanting to change anyway because he’d gotten wet when hugging him. The Chae prince hardly let him go, checking him over for injuries while he helped him wash off. He was seemingly satisfied that he wasn’t hurt by the end of the shower, and he finally moved away from him long enough for them to both get dressed. Wonho pulled on his suit, knowing he wouldn’t be sleeping again that night. Hyungwon just put on something comfortable and they cuddled up on the couch, the younger man unwilling to return to the bedroom.

Wonho called the Syndicate and let them know they would need some additional security for their return to Guam and trip back to South Korea, and told them to inform Boss Chae what had happened when he awoke, but not to bother waking him since his son was safe and unharmed. Once he’d made the call, he set his phone aside, making sure he had retrieved one of his other guns and kept it nearby, intending to stand watch for the night. Hyungwon was draped against him, the fingers of Wonho’s left hand tangled with his own.

“H-how… did they know about this place? How do they keep finding me?” He asked, his tone as fear-stricken as his countenance.

“I don’t know.” Wonho answered honestly. He was at a loss. There had to be someone on the inside who was either feeding the information to the one taking out the hits, or using the information themselves to the same end. “Whoever it is… we’ll find them, and we’ll put an end to it.”

“First my uncle, then my cousin, now me… are we sure that their deaths were accidents?” Hyungwon looked up at him, free hand clutching at the lapel of his bodyguard’s suit. “What if… what if they were killed, too, and I’m just next?”

Wonho’s lips pressed together in a grim line. He’d had his suspicions that Boss Chae hadn’t been entirely forthcoming about his brother’s death, and potentially his nephew’s, but it made no sense for him to go after his only son, whom he so obviously loved. If he had ordered a hit on his brother, it couldn’t be related to these attacks.

“Your father claims they were both accidents.” Wonho said carefully, his right hand coming to rest over Hyungwon’s. “And I know your father would never wish harm upon you… so I must believe that he is telling the truth. I don’t see why he would cover it up, especially now that your life has proven to be in danger so soon after their deaths. If he knew anything, surely he would have said something.”

Hyungwon nodded, frowning. “Mm. I… suppose you’re right. I guess… I guess believing that they weren’t only after me… that there was some connection we could maybe trace or track them down with… was a comforting thought. But… right now, we have nothing.”

“You have me.” Wonho assured, kissing his hair. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear it.”

Hyungwon absolutely, unequivocally believed him.

***

The next morning, another two boats were waiting for them at the dock to escort them back to the Guam airstrip. Wonho still captained the boat with just himself and Hyungwon as he had before, but the other two boats, filled with security guards armed to the teeth, flanked them the whole way. Once they reached the plane, a few of the guards joined them for the flight. Hyungwon seemed annoyed by the additional company, as Wonho had to act completely professional the entire time, remaining standing near his charge at all times rather than sitting with him comfortably as Hyungwon had become so fond of.

Boss Chae was waiting for them at the private airstrip, and actually pulled his son into a tight hug when he saw him. They piled into his limo, with Shownu and Wonho joining them in the back and Jooheon at the wheel.

“When the security team informed me of what happened this morning, I nearly had a heart attack.” Boss Chae admitted, drinking scotch from a glass. His hand was shaking so hard that it made the ice clink and chime. “An attack on the island… this confirms their must be a traitor among us.”

“Wonho believes so as well.” Hyungwon told him, earning a nod from the bodyguard. “The men they’re sending… they’re common mercenaries… but someone must be informing them. They know exactly where and when to strike.”

“We’re lucky to have such competent protection, then.” Boss Chae responded, looking at Wonho with a thankful glance that was likely the largest show of gratitude he could give. “I will have our best men look into it, but… something must be done.”

***

And so, Boss Chae formulated a plan to try to catch the mole he suspected was in their midst. He would let it slip that Hyungwon was being sent away to a secret retreat for his safety… he would give different locations to different people, and depending on where the next attack was aimed, he would have narrowed the field on who the traitor was. Hyungwon’s true destination, of course, would only be known to Hyungwon himself and his father, as well as Shownu and Wonho.

The plan was clever, even though Wonho didn't like the idea of using Hyungwon as bait. When he expressed as much when they were alone together later that evening, the younger man just laughed.

“I'm not really the bait if I'm not in any of the areas we're luring the mole to.” He corrected. “The bait is just… the idea of me.”

“I'm still not in any way fond of the plan… even if it is clever and likely to work.” Wonho admitted.

“But if it does work… then father will have caught the mole and I'm just that much safer.” Hyungwon wheedled, walking his fingers up Wonho’s chest. When he reached his chin, he ran his thumb along the other man’s jawline before kissing him softly. “I know you worry. I know it's your job and that's only harder now because we have… this. But I have every faith in you to protect me, and every faith that my father will catch this person.”

“And then everything is just happily ever after?” Wonho finished somewhat sarcastically. “You are the heir to the Chae Family Syndicate. You're a geondal prince. You will always be in danger.”

“And you will always be here.” Hyungwon reminded gently, giving him an earnest look and cocking his head to one side. “Right…?”

“Right.” Wonho answered softly, leaning in to kiss him again. “I'll always be here to protect you.”

It was a promise he intended to keep.


	5. Chapter 5

It would be several days before Boss Chae’s plan would be implemented. He had to make preparations, including bringing in more security to deal with the potential attack. In the meantime, Hyungwon had been relegated to his apartment building with extra guards being posted on his floor and in the lobby. By day two he was already going mad.

A knock resounded on the door, and Hyungwon glared at it so hatefully Wonho was sure it would burst into flame any second. The bodyguard answered it since it was clear his charge wasn't going to.

Kihyun walked in with someone neither of them knew. He offered a grin despite the less-than-favorable circumstances of his being there.

“Hey, it’s about to be shift-change and I wanted to introduce you to the newbie. This is my unofficial protege, I've been training him for the last month and he's eager to prove himself.” Kihyun announced. “Meet Changkyun.”

“Everyone calls me I.M, but… I don't really have a preference.” The younger man said, shaking the hand Wonho proffered.

“I'm Hoseok, but everyone calls me Wonho.” He offered in return. “Nicknames are popular in the security branch, you get used to it.”

Hyungwon gave a curious look at that, but didn't say anything, just offering them a wave.

“Anyway, we’ll be on duty for the next ten hours or so, just holler if you need anything.” Kihyun said before turning to the Chae prince. “Nice seeing you again, sir. Wish it were under better pretenses.”

Hyungwon just grunted his agreement and nodded in acknowledgement, still wearing a grumpy look. Kihyun knew the man well enough to know when he was in a foul mood, so they took their leave.

When the door shut behind them, Hyungwon crossed his arms. “You never told me your name was Hoseok. Father even introduced you as ‘Wonho’.”

“Like I said, nicknames are popular in Security. Shownu isn't even Shownu’s real name.” Wonho explained.

Hyungwon pursed his lips. “I seem to recall a Hoseok who played with me when I was small. Had the funniest ears. I was probably mean about them.”

“I grew into them.” Wonho replied with a good-natured laugh.

“When my father introduced you, you said ‘nice to _meet_ you, as though we had never met before.” Hyungwon grumbled.

“I didn't want you to have any preconceived notions about me.” Wonho explained. “Besides, it was so long ago.”

“It was.” Hyungwon agreed, though he still seemed annoyed. “Sorry I was a jerk to you. I must have been. I was a real brat back then.”

“Some would say you're a real brat now.” Wonho teased, ruffling his hair as he joined him on the couch. Hyungwon pouted, swatting at him, which only made the older man laugh. “It's fine. There's no need to dwell on it.”

“For the record.” Hyungwon said, his voice serious and less irritated, now. He rolled to straddle Wonho’s lap, carding both his hands into the bodyguard’s hair, on either side of his head. “I love your ears.”

Wonho just smiled and laughed until the other man kissed him silent.

“Actually…” Hyungwon murmured, his mouth trailing from Wonho’s to plant kisses over his jaw. “I love a lot more than your ears.”

“Oh yeah?” Wonho goaded, smirking at him. “Like what?”

“Like… your lips.” He placed a kiss there before moving lower again. “That jawline…” He began unbuttoning Wonho’s shirt, his mouth moving lower still. “These pecs… and those fucking abs.”

Wonho let out a breathy little laugh, but he was squirming under the other man’s praise as he peeled open his shirt.

“That cock…” Hyungwon whispered, biting his lip as he yanked Wonho’s belt open, then pulled it out of the loops and tossed it aside. “And these goddamn thighs. I could just _live_ between them.”

“Shit, Hyungwon-ssi…” Wonho cursed, his composure cracking.

“Not to forget these arms…” Hyungwon continued, shoving Wonho’s shirt and jacket off his shoulders and running his hands over the exposed biceps. “Bet you could hold me up and fuck me right against the wall like it was nothing.”

“Who says I need the wall?” Wonho grunted, grabbing Hyungwon’s hips and rolling them on the couch until the other was beneath him. He let his jacket and shirt fall the rest of the way off before ridding Hyungwon of his clothes like they had personally offended him. He didn't bother taking off any more of his own clothes, just fished the lube and condoms out of the side table (Hyungwon had hidden some _everywhere_ because he was an insatiable little minx) and slicked his fingers, wasting no time before pressing them between the younger man’s legs.

Hyungwon arched back with a delicious little sound, grabbing the back of the couch for purchase. Wonho was careful but he wasn't particularly gentle, fucking him open hard and fast until he was begging for that cock he claimed to adore so much. Wonho bit his own lip in concentration as he removed his fingers and undid his fly. He pulled himself out of his boxers and rolled on the condom, slicking himself up before pressing against Hyungwon’s rim. The younger man let out a needy little whine as Wonho buried himself to the hilt. He gave him a moment to adjust, but only a moment… less than a minute later, he wrapped his arms around Hyungwon’s waist, their noses an inch apart as he met his eyes.

“Hold onto me.” Wonho whispered. Hyungwon slid his arms around the man’s shoulders, hooking his ankles behind his back. A second later, Wonho lifted him off the couch like he weighed nothing.

Gravity forced him further down onto the bodyguard’s cock and Hyungwon keened, his fingertips digging into Wonho’s shoulder blades. He shifted his grip, letting one arm hold the brunt of his weight around his waist while the other hooked under his thigh to cup his ass.

Wonho used that grip to hold Hyungwon in place as he pulled out, then thrust back in. The man in his arms shuddered, leaning against him, so close that their breath mingled in the inch of space between them. Hyungwon tightened his grip, whispering against the other's lips.

“Move.”

Wonho obeyed, holding Hyungwon still and fucking up into him slow and deep, letting his lips play along his in between hitched breaths and stuttered moans. Eventually, he used his grip to actually lift Hyungwon off his cock, then drop him back down, able to pick up his pace just a little that way, dragging the most beautiful sounds out of his lover.

After a while, the slow pace simply wasn't enough. Hyungwon was rolling his hips down in time with Wonho’s movements, but he couldn't get him to the speed he needed.

The Chae prince writhed, just a little frustrated. “Fuck… Wonhonnie… please, need you… faster…”

“I may need the wall for that.” Wonho replied with a slow grin.

Hyungwon groaned. “Wall, table, couch… I don't care if you fuck me against the damn front door, just do it—!”

“Yes, sir.” Wonho drawled, biting his lip before letting his tongue flick across it in anticipation. He had to move into the bedroom to find a wall that didn't have a painting or shelving on it, cradling Hyungwon’s head before slamming him against it.

The younger man wailed, hands coming away from Wonho’s shoulders to slap against the wall, scrabbling for any kind of purchase against the smooth surface. The bodyguard grabbed his wrists and pinned them over his head against the plaster before he began rutting his hips hard and fast.

“Such sweet words you had for me earlier. I have some for you. I couldn't possibly tell you everything I love about you. There are not enough hours in the day.” Wonho murmured close to Hyungwon’s ear, his rhythm never erring. “But I can tell you… I love the long line of your neck, the way you arch it for me when I fuck you.”

Hyungwon let out a stuttered breath when Wonho ran his tongue over his adam’s apple. “Ah—sh-shit—”

“I love those legs… whether I'm between them, or have them wrapped around me, it doesn't matter.” Wonho continued, snapping his hips so hard that Hyungwon’s breath was knocked out of him with every thrust. “And those sounds… god, I love every sound you've ever made. I think I could come just listening to you moan my name.”

Hyungwon’s eyes fluttered closed. “F-fuck… _Wonhonnie_ —!”

“ _Yes_ … just like that. There are… so many things I love about you. Even your petulant little attitude. You can be as much of a brat as you want and I'll still… fuck, I'll still fucking adore you. But I think what I love most… are those goddamn lips of yours.” Wonho brought his to meet them, then, worrying at the bottom one until it was pouty and red. “God… they're glorious. I think every time I kiss you, that I could die with no regrets so long as you were the last thing I tasted.”

“Holy shit… oh my god, Wonho—!” Hyungwon’s head cracked against the wall, and it took him every ounce of his self-awareness to open his eyes again, meeting the other’s.

“Though I can't forget how much I love to watch you come.” Wonho rasped, dipping down to suck a mark into the skin just above Hyungwon’s heart. When he pulled back, his eyes were ablaze with lust. “Now let me see it.”

It may as well have been a command from a benevolent god, willingly and utterly obeyed. Hyungwon came with a harsh cry, voice cracking and tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. He made a mess between them, but Wonho didn't seem to care, just fucking him through it and pressing them so close together that Hyungwon’s dripping cock was trapped between them. The friction sent a jolt through his spine and he shivered, causing Wonho to groan. It wasn't much longer before the bodyguard came as well, muffling his growl into the crook of the younger man’s neck, nibbling at the skin there just to keep from shouting and alerting everyone on the floor below just what they were doing.

Hyungwon’s chest was heaving by the time they stilled, but Wonho just held him there a moment to catch his own breath. He released the younger man’s hands, letting them fall limply onto his shoulders. He gave a fond grin as he peeled Hyungwon off of the wall and brought him to the bed, pulling out of him and disposing of the condom before tucking himself back into his pants. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment before coming back to clean up himself and his charge, who just hummed contentedly and melted into the sheets.

“How the fuck can you act so composed after that?” Hyungwon grumbled.

“Discipline.” Wonho answered, grinning. Just then, his phone pinged in his jacket pocket in the other room. He retrieved it, pulled it out and grimaced. “Your father is on his way here.”

Hyungwon sighed, sitting up slightly only to flop back down onto the bed. “Tell him I'm napping.”

Wonho chuckled, shaking his head. “All right. But at least put this on, you're covered in marks.”

The sweater the bodyguard tossed him landed on top of him, the sleeve swatting him in the back of the head. It was several long seconds before Hyungwon made any move to put it on. “Yeah, and whose fault is that?”

“To be fair, you encourage me.” Wonho countered as he buttoned the shirt he had just pulled on.

“You aren't wrong.” Hyungwon pouted at him there in his too-large sweater, hair messy and lips cherry-red.

“What?” Wonho asked, leaning in to kiss him once he'd buttoned his jacket.

“Nothing, just. Your composure irritates me.” Hyungwon muttered petulantly.

Wonho laughed. “Well, my composure is going to keep us from getting found out by your father. Now take that nap.”

Hyungwon sighed, but burrowed under the covers obediently.

It was less than ten minutes later that Boss Chae arrived with Shownu, both of them let in by Kihyun.

“Wonho.” He said with a cordial nod, looking around. “And just where is my son?”

“I'm so sorry, sir… Hyungwon-ssi is taking a nap. I could… wake him, if you'd like?”

To his credit, he seemed to understand how bad of an idea that was. “No, no, I’d… actually like to speak with you privately, if I may.”

Wonho’s face was impassive. “Of course, sir.”

He snapped toward Shownu, who nodded and took his place by Hyungwon’s bedroom door. Wonho and Boss Chae moved to the kitchen, which was a considerable distance from where the younger man was sleeping simply due to the size of his apartment, especially the living area.

“I took the liberty of looking over the investigation team’s findings. They don't feel as though the deaths of my brother and his son are in any way related to these attacks. If those were indeed assassinations, they were effectively made to look like accidents. These attacks are bold… entirely different tactics. But I did find something odd.” Boss Chae opened the manila folder in his hands. “I had another look at my nephew’s expense reports. Just after my brother’s death, Kyu-Hwan received his portion of the life insurance payout… but days before his own death, the money simply… disappears. Withdrawn, transferred to some offshore account… it’s unknown. The tech team couldn't trace it.”

Wonho’s brow furrowed as he took the report and glanced over it. “So it's possible someone was extorting Kyu-Hwan? Then again, maybe he was paying someone to investigate his father's death. Or perhaps, he was planning on dying himself, and sent the money to some… unknown mistress? I never noticed a particular lover he was close to, but he did… get around.”

“Planning on dying… hm. Many of my men do believe Kyu-Hwan’s accident was a suicide. Is this your belief?” Boss Chae asked.

Wonho’s lips pressed together into a grim line, and he nodded. “It is. He was always a risk-taker, no one knew that better than I did. But the weeks after his father’s death… I’d never seen him so distraught. He was like a walking corpse. And the fact that he insisted driving himself that night, rather than have his driver take him… not to mention relieving me of duty earlier that evening. That has been my thought since it happened.”

Boss Chae let out a great sigh, staring at the middle-distance in contemplation. “There are so many questions we cannot even begin to answer, but one thing is clear. Whoever took that money from Kyu-Hwan must somehow be connected to the attacks on my son… and that person is hidden among the Chae Syndicate.”

Wonho agreed. “We will root them out. And they will not lay a hand on your son, you have my word.”

“You've proven yourself in that regard so far, ten fold.” Boss Chae said, giving the bodyguard a meaningful look. “There are no safer hands I could possibly entrust him to.”

“Just doing my job, sir.” Wonho said softly, even though it was a blatant lie. Certainly, any of the men in security would have laid down their lives for a Chae in the name of loyalty and duty… but Wonho would have gladly endured any torture if it bought Hyungwon even one more day on this earth, for different reasons entirely.

After Boss Chae and Shownu left, Wonho slipped back into Hyungwon’s bedroom and told him what they'd discussed.

“He must be planning on implementing this bait and switch plan soon, then.” Hyungwon grumbled. “I'll just be happy to be out of this damn apartment. 

“You'll be free of all this soon.” Wonho told him, hoping against hope that it was the truth.

***

Four days after the island attack, Boss Chae implemented his plan.

There were several vehicles that all left separately, leaving at staggered times throughout the afternoon in different directions. Wonho stood in the corner while Hyungwon paced. He was fully dressed, as if he were going out… his father insisted on it, in case things went sideways.

Things went decidedly sideways.

The building was too tall for them to hear any commotion, at first. But then, the security alarms began blaring, and Wonho received a call, which he answered immediately.

“We have a security breach on the first floor, there’s—!” There was a scream, the line crackled with static, then it went dead. Wonho grabbed Hyungwon and dragged him toward the door.

“What’s going on?” He asked, though he knew better than to argue.

Wonho’s phone rang again. He answered. “Yes, sir.”

It was Boss Chae. He never made calls himself. “I’m receiving reports of attacks on all of the decoy locations as well as Chae Enterprises and the apartment buildings. Get my son out of there!”

“We’re leaving now, sir.” Wonho confirmed. “I’ll call when we reach a safe area.”

He hung up and pocketed his phone, wrenching open the door. Kihyun and Changkyun were there, on high alert with guns drawn.

“Orders from the king are to get the prince out of here. There have been attacks on multiple Chae locations. You’re my cover.”

“Yessir!” Both men called back, following him to the private elevator and all piling inside, creating a protective triad around Hyungwon.

They managed to get nearly to the garage level… however, when the elevator reached the lobby, the car lurched, and Wonho had to reach out and stabilize his charge. He cursed, opening the side panel and inputting his security override. Nothing. He took a breath and stood in the center of the elevator, pushing Hyungwon to one side, behind the button panel. He slid into Weaver stance, gun at the ready.

“You two, get this open, and then keep him covered.” Wonho ordered.

“You got it.” Kihyun said. Both he and Changkyun forced their fingers in between the elevator panels, pushing the bumpers in and wrenching the door open.

Wonho moved.

There were three mercenaries waiting right there at the elevator door. He ignored them in favor of shooting the two that were a little further off, their machine guns much more of a threat at that distance. Once they were down, he slid into Center Axis Relock, pulling his pistol closer to his core as he pivoted and took out one of the enemies. The other two turned, but he kicked the gun from one’s arms and ripped the other’s away with the hand he’d had bracing the grip of his pistol. He shoved that pistol right into the face panel of the man’s helmet and fired, downing him. The second man he turned and elbowed across the jaw before firing two rounds into his neck.

Wonho flicked the magazine out of his pistol and reloaded it, pulling back the slide and walking right through the row of bodies. “You both, on me. Hyungwon-ssi, keep moving. Stay behind us.”

“Sir!” The two other bodyguards piped up, horrified. Changkyun turned to Kihyun, eyes like saucers while mouthing, “He’s a fucking monster.”

The two guards moved within five yards of Wonho, Hyungwon between them. They turned a corner and surprised another pair of mercs. Wonho drop-kicked the closest, taking down the second with a hip-throw and shooting him fatally before doing the same to the one still stumbling back from his kick. He motioned for the others to continue following him as they made their way to the stairwell to the garage.

There were footsteps above them in the stairwell… apparently they were planning to head up on foot. The three bodyguards and Wonho traversed the steps down into the garage, avoiding any further attackers. There was a long line of black vehicles down the entire cement wall of the garage. Wonho went to an access panel and typed in his code. It slid away to reveal an equal number of sets of keys. He pulled down the nearest two before closing the panel and unlocked one car with the remote. The second pair he tossed to Kihyun.

“You two, get out of here. Head east out of town. We’ll call with updates.” Wonho said before motioning to the nearest car. “Hyungwon-ssi, get in.”

Everyone nodded in assent, going to their respective vehicles.

“Seatbelt.” Wonho murmured as he slid into the car and pulled on his own. Hyungwon did the same. He threw the car into reverse and backed out quickly, shifting into drive and gunning it out of the underground garage, heading west. He saw Kihyun peel out behind him, going the opposite way.

“Where… are we even supposed to go?” Hyungwon asked, threading his fingers around the handle above the door to brace himself as Wonho cut a hard left.

“Safe house outside the city… but who knows if it’s been compromised. These bastards know everything! All our plans!” Wonho snapped in frustration. “This doesn’t make any sense. The only people who know all these things are you, me, your father and Shownu.”

Hyungwon frowned, his voice quiet. “You don’t think… Shownu?”

“Never.” Wonho answered immediately. “I once saw him fight off six kkangpae thugs in defense of your father whose only crime was having an attitude with him. Granted, he was new then, had a lot to prove… but he’s not someone I would question. I’d trust him with my life, as surely as I’d trust him with yours.”

Hyungwon nodded. He wanted to believe him. “I just… don’t understand. Who could possibly—?”

He stopped dead because he saw something which was behind him reflecting in the opposite window at Wonho’s side: the lights of an oncoming semi. Wonho glanced over in time to see the truck barreling toward them, the driver clearly visible through the massive windshield: a man clad in black, wearing a motorcycle helmet. He had no intention of stopping.

Wonho cut the wheel, not a second too soon. The truck smashed into the back door panel and wheel-well, crumpling the frame and narrowly missing Hyungwon. The car skidded across the road until it hit the median, which caused the vehicle to roll. It flipped twice before landing upside-down in the opposite lane of traffic on the empty street. The sound of terror Hyungwon had made caused his chest to lurch, but when the car stilled, it was eerily silent.

Wonho’s head was buzzing. He shook it to clear the noise and his vision, unhooking his seatbelt and wrenching his legs free of the dashboard so he could let himself fall to the roof of the car.

“Hyungwon-ssi… are you hurt?” He groaned, crawling over to him. He let out a little grunt in response, but he was clearly out of it. Wonho looked him over, noticing his temple was bleeding. He unlatched the younger man’s seatbelt and caught him as he slid out of its grip. His legs weren't pinned under the dash… that was good.

He heard a car door open, then the distinct click of a gun cocking. He took Hyungwon and pulled him out of the car as quickly as he was able, dragging him until he was able to stand and pull the man to his feet, leading him away from the wreck. Gunfire erupted behind them, the plink-plink-plink of shots hitting the metal of the vehicle ringing out in the night. After one bullet hit the gas tank, the car erupted into flames some distance behind them.

Wonho dropped Hyungwon to the ground and shielded him with his body. His mind lighted upon moments more intimate than this, how he had loomed over him just the same way, and yet those circumstances had been so vastly different. He pushed the memory from his mind, willing it not to distract him. His charge was hardly conscious, eyes fluttering and head clearly swimming.

Wonho heard a gun being reloaded behind them, then the sound of boots on glass and blacktop. He reached into his jacket to retrieve his gun, only to find it missing… likely having flown out of its holster during the crash. He glanced around, seeing it lying in the street several yards from him. He cursed and turned to their attacker.

The stranger cut an imposing figure in the darkness, his back to the roaring flames. Streaks of orange and red danced across the sleek black of the motorcycle helmet that kept his face obscured save for his eyes. He stalked forward, and for an instant, Wonho felt a sort of familiarity, as if he'd seen this person before.

He didn't dwell on it. He couldn't. He glanced over at his gun once more, several yards away. Several yards too far. Hyungwon’s eyes were fluttering as he tried to sit up and get his bearings. He was in no condition to run. The stranger closed the distance between them, raising his firearm toward the Chae heir. Wonho grabbed for the nearest object… the bent metal of a ruined street sign’s post, and stood between them.

The next few moments happened in a blur. The stranger leveled his gun on Hyungwon, and Wonho lunged. A shot rang out, and there was a cry of pain as Wonho’s improvised weapon came down on the stranger’s wrist, knocking the gun from his grip and breaking at least two bones. The firearm clattered to the blacktop and Wonho rushed the man, keeping him from being able to recover it. He swiped expertly with the steel scrap, but the only strike that wasn't smoothly dodged glanced off of that inky black helmet. The stranger balled his fists and landed a single, efficient strike to Wonho’s side, seemingly unaffected by the splintered bones of his wrist and thumb. Searing pain wracked through Wonho’s torso, the stranger’s fist coming away bloody… it was not until that moment that the bodyguard realized he'd been shot.

He staggered, clutching the wound. His adrenaline rush had let him ignore the pain until now, but after that blow, it was devastating. He gritted his teeth; every breath was accompanied with searing pain. He steeled himself enough to take another swipe with his weapon, but the stranger swiftly kicked it right out of his hand. It flew some distance away and clanged loudly across the street.

The man laughed, shaking his head and removing the helmet. He had a balaclava underneath it, but once he peeled it off, Wonho stilled, breathless.

It was Boss Chae’s nephew, his former charge, Kyu-Hwan.

“What's that old expression?” He said, sneering. “Sometimes the ones you'd take a bullet for are the ones pulling the trigger? Such delicious irony. I wonder, would you have fought so valiantly for me, or does precious Prince Hyungwon just pull at your heart-strings in a way I never did?”

“K-Kyu-Hwan… I don't understand. You… you died.” Wonho wheezed, a wave of dizziness causing him to wobble.

“Of course you don't. You tried so desperately to stay out of the politics of our little family empire. So much so that you didn't even care when the emperor stabbed his brother in the back.” Kyu-Hwan hissed. “My uncle had my father murdered out of some paranoid delusion of fear that he was trying to usurp him. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was next… so I faked my own death. And once I was ‘dead’, I was free to plan my revenge against your precious boss without you over my shoulder. I guess I should have expected he'd have his best dog guarding his only heir, once I wasn't in the picture.”

Wonho had gathered up the strength to lunge at Kyu-Hwan, but in his condition, it only took a few quick, yet powerful blows from his foe to knock him to his knees. He didn't even fight back as Kyu-Hwan gripped his collar and punched him hard in the face, splitting his lip. He did it again, and again, and Wonho just took it. Some part of him, however small, was just hoping it would buy Hyungwon enough time to come to his senses and run, to get to safety. He couldn’t even see his charge now through what limited peripheral vision his swollen and bloody browline had left him with. Had he already tried to get away? He was delirious. He could only hope against hope.

“You know,” Kyu-Hwan continued almost boredly, pausing his assault. “I always wondered why Uncle Chae assigned arguably his most skilled bodyguard save his own, to me over his own son.” He lifted his leg and kicked Wonho square in the chest, sprawling him across the pavement. “Turns out it was the one request my father had of him that he granted. Hyungwon was so responsible, always surrounded by security at his modeling shoots; it wasn't as though he needed even more protection. Me, I was the ‘black sheep’, going to clubs, getting into fights. My father just wanted to protect me. But it didn't even matter, because the greatest danger all along was his own brother!”

Kyu-Hwan brought his leg up to stomp down on Wonho’s wound, but a shot rang out through the night and stopped him dead, his body jerking from the impact of the bullet. Both the men’s eyes fell to Hyungwon, who was holding the gun in front of him, eyes wide in anger and shock. He pulled the trigger again, and again, emptying the remainder of the clip into his cousin’s chest. The silence that fell was deafening, ringing in their ears above the still-crackling flames of the wreck.

Kyu-Hwan hit the ground with a thud, going still, and the gun clattered to the pavement as Hyungwon dropped it, his hands shaking. He scrabbled over to his bodyguard, grabbing one of the man’s large hands and using his own to press it against the bleeding wound.

“Wonho… Wonhonnie, stay with me…” Hyungwon’s free hand fished the man’s cellphone from his pocket, and he quickly pressed the emergency contact button. He knew exactly who it would call. “Wonho… talk to me!”

“Hyungwon-ssi… y-you're… all right?” Wonho managed to ask, slurred as he choked on his own blood. His face was a canvas of crimson and fresh bruising. His hand came up to brush across Hyungwon’s cheek, smudging the dirt there as if to wipe it away.

Hyungwon let out a whine of frustration, but couldn't respond to him because a serious voice had finally come through on the line. “Yes! This is Chae Hyungwon, I have a Code Red. I've been shot at, sent a medical evac right away.”

He gave the cross-street, and didn't bother mentioning it was his bodyguard who’d been shot and not himself. He knew his own health would be billed as top priority and get them here faster. He hung up the phone and turned his attention back to Wonho, who was thumbing at his collar now, desperately seeking purchase. His head was swimming, eyes fluttering. Hyungwon pressed his hand back into the wound again, Wonho’s own having gone lax there during the course of the phone call.

“Wonho… help is on the way... please, please stay with me.” Hyungwon leaned down and pressed a desperate kiss to his temple, smoothing his hair out of his face. His brow was beaded with sweat, his skin pallid. At the pressure against the bullet in his side, he trembled, groaning.

“I'm… here.” Wonho forced out, wanting to do anything he could to wipe away the terror on his prince’s face.

Minutes later, he thought he heard the sound of helicopter blades off in the distance before his world went black.

***

The next time Wonho awoke, he was in a hospital room, and everything hurt. His eyes fluttered open and they lighted upon Hyungwon, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, one hand holding his. He groaned, and the Chae prince perked up immediately.

“Wonho, you're awake! Oh thank god… you… you had me worried.” Hyungwon told him, laying his other hand over their entwined ones. “They said you died twice on the table. They had to remove part of your liver. There were all these complications, and—”

“I don't… care about any of that.” Wonho admitted, tongue likely loose from the cocktail of drugs in his system. “Are you all right?”

Hyungwon just stared at him, incredulous and fond. “I'm fine, you pabo. They were worried about a concussion but doctors gave me the all-clear. Even father had to admit I'm well enough to come see you.”

“He wasn't… suspicious about that?” Wonho asked.

Hyungwon shrugged. “You've saved my life about four times so I think he's accepted that I'm reasonably fond of you. He dropped by himself, too. Left Shownu with us and took Kihyun for now, just until he's sure there are no mercenaries still on Kyu-Hwan’s tab.”

Shownu was just barely visible through the window next to the open door, dutifully standing at his post.

Wonho blinked. “And your father was told? About Kyu-Hwan? About how he faked his death?”

“Yes.” Hyungwon explained. “I told him you fought, and you took him down in the end.”

Wonho realized that his prince had lied about who exactly had killed his cousin. “That’s fine, I’ll take the fall, in case—”

“The fall? No, the credit.” Hyungwon corrected. “Father is glad that there wasn’t a mole after all, and he’s pleased that the problem was dealt with.”

“Then why lie?” Wonho asked softly.

Hyungwon frowned. “Because… I didn't want father thinking you had failed to do your duty. I would have been dead if it weren't for you, several times over. It doesn't matter if you didn't pull the trigger.”

“Such a martyr.” Wonho shook his head, giving a soft laugh. He instantly regretted it, however, cringing and groaning at the pain that knifed across his torso.

“Wonhonnie…” Hyungwon fussed, moving closer to brush his hand over the man’s hair. He leaned down and kissed him softly on a patch of unbruised skin. There was so little of it left.

Shownu glanced over from his post just outside the room, grinned and slowly pulled the door closed, leaving the two some privacy.

“Don't worry about me, Hyungwon-ssi.” Wonho gritted out, offering an agonized smile. “This isn't… well, no, it _is_ the worst I've ever been through, realistically, but I'll live to protect you another day.”

Hyungwon took a breath. “I know… it’s your job to… to do that for me, but...”

“I would do it anyway… for you.” Wonho told him. “I suppose Kyu-Hwan was right; you’re all tangled up in my heart-strings.”

“I was about to tell you please not to take so many risks with your well-being in the future! I don’t care who I am.” Hyungwon huffed.

“What kind of man am I if I am not allowed to do my job, and I’m not allowed to protect the person I love?” Wonho countered.

Hyungwon blinked. The bodyguard had proven time and time again just how he felt, claiming that beyond loyalty and the job, he still cared for Hyungwon deeply. Despite all the grand gestures, it was hearing it that made it real for him.

“I'm just saying… you're not allowed to die on me, because I love you, too.” The Chae prince murmured softly, running his thumbs over the back of the other man’s hand. “So… just take care of yourself, please. For me.”

“For you.” Wonho agreed with a smile, bringing Hyungwon’s hand up to his lips and vouchsafing the statement with a kiss.

***

After a few days, Wonho was allowed to leave the hospital. He had an apartment furnished for himself in Hyungwon’s building, though it was not nearly as large as the prince’s, where he returned for his recovery. Hyungwon visited him every day, and as the weeks went by, it became clear that the threat was ended. Hyungwon hardly left the building, but nothing ever came of it when he ventured outside.

Nearly a month after his hospital stay, Boss Chae came to see him, alone. Hyungwon was probably still sleeping, since it was before noon and he hadn't taken any modeling contracts in weeks.

“I felt as though we should speak.” Boss Chae said, never sitting. Wonho wasn't up for moving around too much still, so he remained on his couch. “Hyungwon told me everything that Kyu-Hwan said. My son is… ambivalent. He and my brother were not close, and he trusts my judgment.”

“You mean with regard to having called a hit out on your brother.” It flatly wasn't a question.

Boss Chae cleared his throat, uncomfortable. “Yes. I received credible intel that he was planning to do the same to me, and my son—”

“With respect, sir. You don't need to explain yourself to me. I know that everything you have done has been to protect your legacy, including your empire and, above all, your son.” Wonho told him. “Kyu-Hwan was my charge and his father my acting boss for many years, yes… but the Chae I answer to is you, above all.”

Boss Chae seemed to be reading his face, trying to discern if he was simply paying him lip service to save his own skin… but he found no fear or concern in Wonho’s eyes; just a fortress of loyalty for the only family he'd ever known.

“Very well.” The man said, nodding. “That isn't the only business I came here to attend to, however. I also came with a proposal. You have, of course, proven yourself time and time again in service of myself and my son. Given your recent injuries, heavy as they were, I am willing to offer you an opportunity to change positions in the company. A promotion… to security chief. You wouldn't need to concern yourself with field work, there would be plenty of time off, and a raise, of course.”

Wonho didn't even think about it. “Your offer is obviously generous, sir… perhaps to someone who didn't particularly enjoy the more strenuous job. But… I absolutely intend to watch over your son until the day I die, and it will be my honor to do so.”

For a moment... just a brief and fleeting second, a shadow of understanding crossed Boss Chae’s features. He didn't react, however, merely accepting the proclamation at face-value with a nod. “Very well. Shownu will look after my son until you complete your recovery, and then you may resume your post.”

“Thank you, sir.” Wonho replied, standing and giving as much of a bow as he could manage.

“We are…” Boss Chae paused, clearing his throat with a meaningful glance. “ _My son_ is… very lucky to have you.”

It felt like acceptance, however small.

_Fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are all so wonderful I don’t think I want to write for any other fandom ever again. Kpop is where it's at. You spoil me with all your comments and feedback!


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